does anyone know the difference between the publish date of a book and the copyright? Or is there a difference? If not, how do you find out how old a book really is and if it might be an original? I have a book that says copyright 1897 (when the that title of book was originally written) and no other dates included. I do know that it was around at least in 1952 simply because someone jotted their name on the front blank page and put the date and then had a library discard stamp on it.
UPDATED question:
how can someone find out or know if they have an original or first edition? I know some older books did not have 1st ed. printed on them as they say now. I also checked the covers of the dracula book on the internet (there are so many) and could not find this book. It makes me wonder if it is a rare book. The oldest one I saw is Yellow and Red, and this one looks nothing like it. There are not many places in this town that would not know, I think. I am just wondering if there is a clue or a way I can find out myself..been looking for a while now on the internet.
It's so weird..because what I have is Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's pages are slightly browned as in old (I have had it 23 years) and the only date printed on the entire thing is 1897. So I looked up the date is was actually written and it says he wrote it in 1897. The cover is dark blue and the side binding has very old looking gold scrolling. It is in great shape. I never read it..it has been tucked away. On the one page it says "Dracula. Copyright 1897 by Bram Stoker." and that's it. No other date or inscription.
I could be wrong but I think copyright is when the original book was written and publish date is when your copy of the book was sold.
The copyright date is when the book was written and ready for publishing. The publishing date is when that copy was made and put out. Older books do not have the publishing date they only say what year the book was written and copyrighted. Hope that answers your question.
Ok that makes sense....how can someone find out or know if they have an original or first edition? I know some older books did not have 1st ed. printed on them as they say now. I also checked the covers of the dracula book on the internet (there are so many) and could not find this book. It makes me wonder if it is a rare book. The oldest one I saw is Yellow and Red, and this one looks nothing like it. There are not many places in this town that would not know, I think. I am just wondering if there is a clue or a way I can find out myself..been looking for a while now on the internet.
Quoting phoeber:
The copyright date is when the book was written and ready for publishing. The publishing date is when that copy was made and put out. Older books do not have the publishing date they only say what year the book was written and copyrighted. Hope that answers your question.
If it only has one date on it, then that would be the date it was copyrighted and published. if there are more dates, then the newest one would be the published date of that version. Example I have say it was originally printed in 1850 but reprinted in 1852, 1898, and 1980 (just picked random dates), the 1850 would have been the original copyrigth and publication, but the 1980 would be when the version you would be looking at.
Thats cool that you have such an old book. I love old books, I have a collection of Charles Dickens from the 1800's and they are slightly browning on the edges but otherwise in pretyy good shape.
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- nazratred
on Nov. 27, 2009 at 6:54 PM