Book Block Plate Varieties (Regular Editions)

On occasion Modern Library found it necessary to replace worn out plates from which book blocks were printed. In the process the page count would sometimes change—even radically—even though no (or minimal) content changes occurred. The following table lists these varieties.

Note that the real essential difference in these printings was the page count and not the content.

If you know of other titles with new plate printings that resulted in a modified page count without other change to content, please let us know.

Thanks to Bill Hornick for all his research and hard work on this project. Additional contributions from Vincent Civiletti.

Tole #
Author
Title
Original Plates
Page Count
Second Plates
Page Count
Third Plates
Page Count
13.1 Butler The Way of All Flesh
1917-1940
410
1940-1950
562
 
275.1 Conrad Nostromo
1951-1967
631
1967-1969
566
 
227.1 Du Maurier Rebecca
1943-1950(?)
457
1951(?)-1970 ¶
357
   
28.1 Flaubert Madame Bovary
1917-1926
273
1927-1950
400
   
327.1 Gide The Counterfeiters/Journal
1962-1969
431
1969-1975
467
 
17.1 Hardy The Mayor of Casterbridge
1917-1947
318
1947-1950
432
 
244.1 James, H. Wings of the Dove
1946-1967
768
1968-1970
522
 
109.1 Lawrence Sons And Lovers
1922-1928
517
1928-1932
517
1933-1961
491
56.2 Longfellow Poems
1932-1940(?)
678
1945(?)-1975
732
27.2 Maugham The Moon And Sixpence
1935-1945
314
1946-1969
341
176.1 Maugham Of Human Bondage
1930-1945
766
1946-1967
760
1967-1975
684
14.1 Meredith Diana Of The Crossways
1917-1930
365
1931-1975
447
154.1 Rostand Cyrano De Bergerac
1929-1953
322
1953-1968 (?)
300
 
97.2 Whitman Leaves of Grass
1929-1944
311
1945-1950
410
 
142.1 Zola Nana
1928-1944
517
1945-1963
545
 

¶ Author note dropped

We don't know the difference between these two printings. If you know the difference, please let us know.