Alcoholics Anonymous — First Edition, Twelfth Printing (October 1948) with Original Dust Jacket
Offered here is an original First Edition, Twelfth Printing of Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly known as the Big Book, published in October 1948 by Works Publishing Inc.
The Twelfth Printing occupies an important place in the history of the First Edition. Published nearly a decade after the original April 1939 printing, it was the final First Edition printing issued during the 1940s, at a time when Alcoholics Anonymous was expanding rapidly throughout the United States.
The title page retains the Works Publishing Inc. imprint, while the copyright page records the complete printing history through:
Twelfth Printing, October, 1948
This copy also retains its original Twelfth Printing dust jacket, clearly identified as such on the rear flap.
A Period A.A. Association
An especially interesting feature of this copy is the period ownership material found inside the front cover.
A small label reads:
Leroy Annis Dover Foxcroft Maine
Below it are purple stamps reading:
DOVER GROUP
and
R F D 1
These markings provide a tangible connection to the book’s earlier life and appear to associate it with an A.A. group in the Dover-Foxcroft, Maine area. No further provenance is represented beyond the physical markings present in the book.
The Twelfth Printing
By the time this printing appeared in October 1948, Alcoholics Anonymous had grown dramatically from the small fellowship that produced the original 1939 Big Book.
The title page now reads:
Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
The volume also contains the section “Now We Are Thousands”, reflecting the remarkable expansion of A.A. during the first decade of the Fellowship.
For collectors, Twelfth Printings are particularly appealing because they still retain the classic First Edition format and Works Publishing identity while representing the rapidly growing postwar period of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Condition
Book
The book is in very good overall condition and presents as a strong example of the Twelfth Printing.
The original navy-blue cloth binding remains clean and attractive, with only light general rubbing and age-related wear. The boards are firm and the binding remains sound.
The blind-stamped Alcoholics Anonymous lettering on the front board remains clearly visible. The gilt spine lettering is bright, strong and highly legible, with Alcoholics Anonymous at the head and Works Publishing Company at the foot.
There is light wear at the corners and spine extremities, including a small amount of rubbing and fraying, but the cloth remains well preserved overall.
The interior is complete and generally clean, with pages remaining bright for their age and showing only expected toning and minor evidence of use.
The front pastedown bears the Leroy Annis / Dover Foxcroft / Maine ownership label together with the DOVER GROUP and R F D 1 stamps. The facing front free endpaper shows scattered age spotting and discoloration.
The book remains firmly bound and presents very nicely.
Original Dust Jacket
The book retains its original Twelfth Printing dust jacket, an important feature of this copy.
The jacket remains substantially complete, including both flaps, and retains the classic red, yellow, black and white First Edition design.
The front panel remains bold and visually striking, with the large Alcoholics Anonymous lettering intact and the original coloration still strong.
The jacket shows considerable wear consistent with age and use, including chipping and paper loss along the upper and lower edges, wear at the corners and spine extremities, creasing, rubbing, tears and general surface wear.
The spine panel shows additional toning, fading and wear, and there are remnants of old tape or adhesive in several areas.
Despite its wear, the jacket remains highly displayable and importantly preserves the original front and rear panels, spine and both flaps. The rear flap clearly identifies it as the Twelfth Printing.
Original dust jackets from First Edition Big Books are increasingly difficult to find, particularly with all major components still present.
Please review all photographs carefully for the most accurate representation of condition.
Book Details
Title: Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
Edition: First Edition
Printing: Twelfth Printing
Publication Date: October 1948
Publisher: Works Publishing Inc.
Place: New York City
Printer: The Cornwall Press, Inc., Cornwall, New York
Binding: Original navy-blue cloth
Dust Jacket: Original Twelfth Printing dust jacket
Ownership Markings: Leroy Annis, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine; “Dover Group” and “R F D 1” stamps
Collector’s Note
The Twelfth Printing represents a compelling period in the evolution of the First Edition Big Book.
By 1948, Alcoholics Anonymous had moved well beyond the small fellowship responsible for the original 1939 publication, yet the book still retained the classic First Edition format and the Works Publishing identity associated with A.A.’s formative years.
This example combines a particularly attractive original navy-blue cloth book with a heavily worn but substantially complete original Twelfth Printing dust jacket. The period Dover Group ownership markings add another interesting element to a copy that clearly saw use during the early growth of Alcoholics Anonymous.
A strong and historically appealing First Edition, Twelfth Printing Big Book with its scarce original dust jacket.
