Abrams
Abrams is a New York art and illustrated book publisher founded by Harry N. Abrams in 1949, owned by Times Mirror from 1966 and by France's La Martinière from 1997, home of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
- Editions tracked
- 31
- First editions
- 25
- Books
- 31
- Years
- 1962 to 2023
Abrams is a publisher based in New York City, founded in 1949. We track 31 editions it published between 1962 and 2023, 25 of them first editions across 31 books. Each book lists its first edition and the points that identify it.
About Abrams
Abrams (formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc.) is a New York publisher of art, illustrated and children's books, founded by Harry N. Abrams on 3 November 1949 as the first American house to specialise in art books.
The Times Mirror Company bought the firm in 1966, with Abrams staying on until 1977, when he left to start Abbeville Press with his son Robert. Paul Gottlieb became publisher in 1980 and led the house until January 2001. Backlist staples from this period include H. W. Janson's History of Art and The Art of Walt Disney.
In 1997 Times Mirror sold Abrams to the French La Martinière Groupe. La Martinière was itself acquired by Média-Participations in 2018. Abrams has since bought The Overlook Press (2018), Cameron + Company (2020) and Taunton Press (2024).
Its children's imprint Amulet Books publishes Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and Cece Bell's El Deafo, and Abrams ComicArts (2009) covers graphic novels and comics history. Other imprints include Abrams Image, Abrams Press, Abrams Appleseed and Abrams Books for Young Readers. The company issues around 250 titles a year, with distribution through Hachette Client Services.
We have not yet written the guide to Abrams's first-edition conventions. Until we do, check each book's own page: we list its points where we know them. Know how Abrams marked its firsts? Tell us.
Authors
Published by Abrams
Frequently asked questions
How many Abrams books does MyVolumes track?
We track 31 editions published by Abrams, 25 of them first editions, across 31 books.
Where these facts come from
- Abrams Books, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- About, Abrams, 2026 (abramsbooks.com)
- Abrams at 50: Art Book Publisher Grows Beyond Its Roots, Publishers Weekly, 1999 (publishersweekly.com)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 18 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.