A recent article about the surviving partial manuscript of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four reminded me that last month was the 75th anniversary of the publication of the US paperback edition by New York publisher New American Library (NAL) in their Signet imprint. NAL is now a division of Penguin US.
In 2025 this edition remains in print and is past 170 printings. In a 1983 promotion for the book, NAL said that 10,000,000 copies had sold.
Over the years there have been seven cover designs. The first and best known lasted from the first (July 1950) to the sixteenth (November 1958) printing in four variants. The artist is Alan Harmon. Here is how Louis Menand describes the cover:
"The cover of the 1950 Signet reprint … features a surprisingly toned Winston Smith, in a sleeveless top that shows off his triceps nicely, sneaking a glance at a slinky Julia, in lipstick and mascara, who wears an Anti-Sex League button pinned to a blouse with a neckline that plunges to her tightly sashed midriff. The artist has rendered O’Brien, Winston’s nemesis, as a sort of sadistic swimming instructor—a menacing dude clad in a black skullcap and halter-top outfit cut daringly across the pecs, and clutching what it is hard not to assume is a whip."
Here are the details on this cover:
- first variant - number 798: printings one (July 1950) to ten (December 1953). Printings nine and ten have 25 cent price.
- second variant - number S798: printings 11 (August 1954) to 13 (May 1955) price increase to 35 cents; described as a "Signet Giant". The red at the top is now gold and the title has a different font.
- third variant - number S798: printing 14 (May 1956) tie in to the 1956 movie. All black background. No longer a Signet Giant. Price still 35 cents.
- fourth variant - number D1640: printings 15 and 16 (August 1958 and November 1958) price increase to 50 cents. Black has been replaced by pink.
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