Question about the 1952 "Underground Adventure" book

[Pitlamp]

If anyone has a copy of the original 1952 Gemmell & Myers classic caving book "Underground Adventure" to hand, please could you glance inside the cover and tell me what is this ISBN? (Maybe best just to post here, to save anyone else looking it up.)

Yes, I know, I was involved in writing an update to it recently, so I ought to know! But I've never owned an original, just the 1990 reprint.)

 

[phil]

I have a 1952 copy of the book, but there is no ISBN that I can find anywhere, did they have ISBN then?

 

[yrammy]

It does not have one  - I have looked in our library copy.
Worldcat is very useful for finding out about publications too.
Ta
Mary

 

[Pitlamp]

Thanks for looking Mary! 

 

[Pitlamp]

. . . and thanks Phil (and, good point, maybe ISBNs hadn't really come in by the post war period).

 

[Caver Keith]

My 1952 copy also does not seem to have one. According to AbeBooks.co.uk the ISBN is ISBN 10: 0905903196 / ISBN 13: 9780905903194

Mine is ex Merthyr Public Libraries and its Dewey Decimal Classification number is 551.44

 

[mikem]

1966 in UK, 1970 for International: https://ribbonfish.co.uk/blog/the-origins-of-the-isbn-a-history/

10 digit was assigned pre 2007, 13 digit after.

The 1990 edition appears to have the same number, as it is a reprint; whilst the 1970 & 72 Complete Caves of Mendip have slightly different ones (content has changed).

 

[Pitlamp]

Thanks, Keith and Mike.

 

[mikem]

Dewey decimal isn't specific to one book though:

500 Natural sciences and mathematics
550 Earth sciences
551 Geology, hydrology, meteorology
.4 Geomorphology and hydrosphere
.44 Depressions and openings - Including sedimentary basins; valleys; caves and related features