subscription edition

American  

noun

1. an edition of one or more volumes for which a number of prospective purchasers place orders, usually in advance of publication.

2. a specially designed edition offered to subscribers, usually on an installment or deferred payment plan, or on an installment or deferred delivery plan, or both.

---

Example Sentences

The story of how it came to be issued in that particular form is told by Mr. Wilson in his introduction to the subscription edition.

From Eugene Field, a Study in Heredity and Contradictions — Volume 2 by Thompson, Slason

The committee found a very ready response to its announcement of a subscription edition, and Mr. Murdock gave much time and thought to the preparation of material for the volume.

From A Backward Glance at Eighty Recollections & comment by Murdock, Charles A. (Charles Albert)

Large paper copy of the original subscription edition.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 2 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

This was at first designed to be a subscription edition for the benefit of Chatterton's mother and sister, but, the subscriptions not being numerous enough, it was issued in the usual way, through "the trade."

From A History of English Romanticism in the Eighteenth Century by Beers, Henry A. (Henry Augustin)

The only complete translations of the Arabic version were made by Sir Richard Burton for a costly subscription edition and by John Payne for the Villon Society.

From Comfort Found in Good Old Books by Fitch, George Hamlin