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Describing Books
n this digital age, it is quick and easy to take and email photos of Another issue when selling online is describing the condition of a
books to sell while making a list can not only be time-consuming, book. In ye olden daze before the internet and everyone was selling
Ibut it can also even be worse unless the sender knows what books online, the description of the condition of books was generally
information on the book to include. agreed on: Mint or Very Fine would be as new; Fine would be a book
But that said, sometimes the photos can be useless, too, if taken by that had only the very slightest wear; Very Good would be maybe read
a non-book person. Often someone will send me a raft of photos and a couple of times with some slight shelf wear; Good would be a book
not one photo is of the title page, which is certainly the most important in average condition with some expected wear and tear, but nothing
page in almost any book because it usually has all the important missing and no major problems. Fair would show some faults like
information on it as to publisher, date, and edition. creasing, loose or torn pages, underlining or writing, and worn covers;
For some reason, people not familiar and the lowest category would be Poor which
with old books just love to take pictures of would be a book that was barely holding itself
the tissue paper in old books which was 1 together and which needed some major repair.
often used to protect illustrations and to And obviously for a collectible book, the
keep them from rubbing off onto the facing better the condition it is in, the more valuable
page. This was commonly done in better it would be.
quality books and generally not seen in As then and now, beware of creative, non-
today’s books, but here’s the thing. One standard descriptions of books especially ones
photo of a sheet of tissue paper looks pretty that are said to be “in good shape for their
much like every other sheet of tissue age,” which almost always means that they are
paper, so it does not aid in the identification in not good shape for their age. Old books are
of old books. not supposed to be in bad condition although,
As I’ve said before, the title page is of course, many of them are. Also, “much
normally the most important in any book loved” is another red flag of a description that
because it contains pertinent information like usually means much abused.
the book’s title, author, publisher, date, The covers of a book gener-
and sometimes the edition. Of course, 2 3 ally get the most wear, yet some
this is all vital information. But how many sellers think that a book is in
times have I gotten photos of tissue paper acceptable condition if it has all
and not the title page? of its pages, even if the pages are
Again, I don’t mean to fuss at non- half falling out and the covers
book people for not knowing this, as what are trashed.
would seem to be so obvious to us book Also, most books published
people, really might not be to others. in the 20th century have paper
Now usually on eBay, you get photos of dust jackets which can be very
the book or whatever item that you are fragile and easily damaged or
buying. Hopefully, the photo of the book sometimes missing. Not so
you are buying is of that particular book important with a common book,
and not a generic photo supplied by eBay but very important for anything
which happens also. Why that should be valuable where a pristine jacket
allowed, I have no idea! might account for up to 75% or
But to rant on, I am surprised at how more of the book’s value! So, a
often the photos are of such bad quality 1. An example of a book with a poor rating book with a dust jacket would have
that it is hard to believe (and read!). 2. The Time Machine title page two grades for its condition using
(H.G. Wells, William Heinemann, 1895)
The book will be poorly lit, placed on 3. An example of a ca. 1866 book in Very Fine condition upper case letters for the book and
someone’s kitchen table, and taken from lower case for the dust jacket separated
across the room at a 45º angle. I have never quite decided if it’s by a slash mark as sometimes the dust jacket would not be in as good
accidental or deliberate in the sense that as awful as they can get, a a condition as the book itself. For example, F/vg would be a book
photo might be bad on purpose to cover up various faults as in this that is in Fine condition in a dust jacket that is in very good condition,
digital age of point-and-shoot cameras and smartphones with cameras and so forth.
that automatically adjust for lighting and have built-in flashes, one (From the editor … more to come, I suspect.)
would think it was almost impossible to take bad photos. Almost!

James Dawson has owned and operated the Unicorn Bookshop in Trappe, MD since 1975, when he decided that it would be more fun to buy and sell old books and maps than to get
a “real” job. For a born collector like Jim, having a shop just might be another excuse to buy more books. He has about 30,000 second hand and rare books on the shelves, and just
about all subjects are represented. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 154; Trappe, MD 21673; 410-476-3838; unicornbookshopMD@gmail.com; www.unicornbookshop.com

42 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles