Antique book condition descriptions

Readers and collectors should keep in mind that the above descriptions are a general guide to book grading. Describing an old book state library of pennsylvania. I looked along the books on the shelf, there it was, the black shiny leather looked well kept. This type of value is known as market driven value, and this gives you a realistic value rather than the retail value the book would sell for at a bookstore or from an online antique and collectible book website. The general condition guidelines do not apply to collectible books. For rare and collectible books, powells follows the condition codes first proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly, which have since been widely adopted as the industry standards. A phrase like very good for its age holds no water in most cases. A spine split of up to 23 the length of the book, a. When buying online you need to understand this bookseller shorthand a shorthand that was invented when booksellers listed books in weekly magazines and paid by the line for their ads. Hence, a premium price may be asked and received for them. Online sales used book condition descriptions used.

Ioba members should guard against using language in their book descriptions which might conceal material defects, overstate a books condition, or mislead. Ioba book condition definitions are here for two reasons. The book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Included in every issue ab bookmans after 1949 was a set of criteria for grading the condition of used books. To be considered collectible, a book should be unique in a way that could reasonably be assumed to increase the book s value to a collector such as first editions and first printings. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text. Online sales used book condition descriptions used books. From what i remember of antiques roadshow, first editions, signatures, and famous workspeople. The wizard of oz this book is in nice vintage condition. I take it you are deprived in life and dont have an old book to take off the bookshelves. On outofprint book searches we must often rely on someone elses description of the book, and they may or may not be as serious about these condition grades as we. Additionally, some books by famous authors are better than others. Our antique book dealers are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to their antique books and. A nontraditional book condition description that generally refers to a book in good or very good condition, although no standard exists for this term, and the word can be used to describe a wide variety of actual book conditions.

Antique books are big business, even in the electronic age. Tolkien when considering the purchase of a book for your collection, the condition and, if applicable, the dust jacket are the most important factors affecting the value. Oct 29, 2012 how to care for old or valuable books amanda nelson oct 29, 2012 whether the older books on your shelves consist of rare first editions or tomes that are only valuable on a sentimental level, they need a certain level of care. The antiquarian booksellers association of america was founded in 1949 to promote interest in rare and antiquarian books and book collecting, and to foster collegial relations. A product that was inspected and graded by a qualified supplier a seller, vendor, or by amazon in working condition with no structural imperfections that could impact the functionality. This could be the description for a book that has been lost in a warehouse for years, never shelved, thumbed or even opened yet may still be some years old. An accurate description of a guns condition is essential in evaluating a firearm and estimating the value of any gun. Grading a book s condition accurately helps increase book sales and is a necessity for booksellers. This is the equivalent of mint condition in numismatics. The condition of each book is in a very real sense unique, and the best and most accurate determination can be given by an experienced bookseller who is holding your unique copy in his hands. It is vital to note that there are separate rating systems used for antique vs. See the sellers listing for full details and a description of any imperfections. See complete description in bbps antique condition factor descriptions pg.

A vehicle is deemed in excellent condition by kelley blue bookif it appears brand new, hasnt had bodywork including paint, lacks rust, is in perfect mechanical condition, and doesnt require any repairs whatsoever. We strive to maintain the highest standards in the trade. The condition generally results from a rapid change in the level of moisture in the air and is caused by different rates of expansion or contraction of the pastedown and the outer material covering the board. Basically, an accurate description of a firearms condition is essential in evaluating the gun and estimating its value. There has been a huge rise in the collectability of ultramoderns or hypermoderns and condition is even more critical in this area than others. In all cases, the lack of a dust jacket is noted if the book was issued with one. Any exceptions to this condition description will be mentioned on the product detail page. Since 1997, bookfinder has made it easy to find any book at the best price. The ioba book condition definitions standards codify these condition definitions so that ioba booksellers have a guideline for describing their books. Of course the book and jacket are graded separately and there is never an excuse given for the age. If you have questions about the antique book even after reading the detailed product descriptions, satisfy those curiosities before you buy antique books. Some basic descriptive terms are used by booksellers to communicate book condition. As one of the premier rare book sites on the internet, alibris has thousands of rare books, first editions, and signed books available.

While trying to figure out if some old books i had were worth any money, i found some notvery old books that are worth a surprising amount of cash. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. This is a special guest article by adam weinberger of, a book dealer with over 30 years of experience. These are used books though, and everything is subjective. Lacking any special circumstances, any book missing pages is worthless source. The is the equivalent of mint condition in coin collecting. A book that has been read but is in good condition. A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. Publishers and booksellers have built a specialized vocabulary over the years to consistently describe to perspective customers what to expect to see when the book is delivered.

It is important to both collectors and dealers that you accurately describe your book s condition using industry standards. A condition of the covers or boards of a hardcover book. The interior is clean, as is the engine, which has no observable flaws or fluid leaks. Most collectors want to have books in a 7 or better condition grade and this affects the prices people will spend on them. Fine f a book that has no defects in book or jacket, but not as crisp as it was when new.

How to describe the condition of a used book toughnickel. A comic book in fr condition may have nonstory elements such as coupons, ad pages, or marvel value stamps cut or torn out of the book. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Very fine is a flawless copy, perfect in every way and probably never read. Antiquarian bookseller a term, in todays usage, that describes a bookseller whose stock in trade is primarily old, rare, andor collectible books. Ioba book terminology independent online booksellers. Since the condition of a book is such an important factor in determining its value, this guide should only be used as an indicator of. This is an unused, unread, clean and flawless copy of the book. Ioba members should guard against using language in their book descriptions which might conceal material defects, overstate a books condition, or mislead buyers in any other respect. It is important to both collectors and dealers that you accurately describe your books condition using industry standards.

Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. Antique book lot, sugar plum house, ezekiel, the king in yellow. Most rare book collectors agree that antique books are far older than vintage books, an important distinction for the purpose of collection and resale. Its been stored in impeccable conditions and shows absolutely no signs of wear or use. Whether were buying in person or online, we only accept books that we consider to be in good condition. Antiquarian and rare book glossary of terms you should know.

That firstedition copy of your favorite novel, sitting on the shelf in your. It means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. Because book descriptions are subjective and because condition is a major factor in determining the value of a book the worse the condition, the less the demand as a general rule a used book dealer will not offer a purchase price, and a book appraiser will refuse to appraise a book. Rare and valuable books old and not so old books worth. One should keep these descriptions in mind when buying old books, or when bringing in books for appraisal or sale. I received a negative feedback my first because the buyer thought the item was antique when i described it as vintage. As new means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. Item condition lookup table specifying your items condition helps set buyers expectations in advance, helping to reduce claims and postsale concerns. Types of damage that place a comic in fr range include. The vermont antiquarian booksellers association vermont.

There can be no defects, no missing pages, no library stamps, etc. I would do a search and see if you can find some book collectors to get an idea of what people are interested in. Kelley blue book divides the condition of used vehicles into four grades. Ab bookmans weekly, which ceased publication in 1999, was for decades the bible of the antiquarian book trade. Grading books how to describe condition at bookseller world. In addition to the screening process, you can contact the antique book dealer directly online. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book.

Differences in condition can easily halve or double the value of a collectible gun. The condition of a rare book and its dust jacket if applicable are the most important factors affecting its value and pricing. But if you want to get a rough idea of your book s condition and its relative value on the rare book market here are the basics. Because book descriptions are subjective and because condition is a major factor in determining the value of a book the worse the condition, the less the demand as a general rule a used book dealer will not offer a purchase price, and a book appraiser will refuse to appraise a book, sight unseen.

How to care for old or valuable books amanda nelson oct 29, 2012 whether the older books on your shelves consist of rare first editions or tomes that are only valuable on a sentimental level, they need a certain level of care. Cocked also refers to a book where the spine no longer remains at right angles to the covers. Fine f or fn is as new but allowing for the normal effects of time on an unused book that has been protected. Booksellers are individuals and as such may have what they think is the best book description definitions. Values will typically represent the lower conditions 30% and 40%. A book in poor condition will be worth far less than the same book in fine condition. Because book descriptions are subjective and because condition is a major factor in determining the value of a. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. We tend to overdescribe flaws and undervalue the condition grade so that the book looks better than you expected it would. Condition very good see pics descriptions provided in both printed and online catalog formats do not include condition reports. If one says vintage in a description can it mean antique.

Book club copies must always be designated as such no matter what the condition of the book. We always describe significant associations in our catalogue descriptions and you will usually find several important association copies in our rare book catalogues. You can determine the condition of a vehicle by taking a condition quiz found on the equipment selection page, or by comparing the car to these category definitions. Very good abbreviated vg this is a book that shows signs of prevoius ownership and use, but its still very nice copy. When grading or describing the condition of an item, the main thing for a seller to do is to be as honest as possible in describing the condition to the best of his or her ability. A book is more likely to appeal to collectors, and therefore be worth more, if you have actually heard of the book or its author. A detailed definitions of terms used to classify the condition of the rare books. Heavy antique cast iron book press at 1stdibs skip to main content. Book grading terms the vermont antiquarian booksellers.

Whether you want the cheapest reading copy or a specific collectible edition, with bookfinder, youll find just the right book. Powells is generally very conservative when assessing the condition of book, so you can generally be assured that a book listed in, say, fine, condition is in at least as good a condition as the description listed below. Find out about the book grading system and terminology at alibris. The book is either very good condition for a book that is 10 years old or 150 years old. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket if applicable is included for hard covers.

Terms used and rare booksellers use to communicate a particular books condition. The book and jacket have to be absolutely pristine with no faults at all, however minor. I classify an antiquarian or antique book as one that is at least 100 years old and collectiblein good enough condition to be read or resold, says grybos. As new is to be used only when the book is in the same immaculate condition in which it was published. The set of terms below were proposed in 1949 by ab bookmans weekly. Cocked the spine of the book is slanted, a condition endemic to casebound books that have been reread too many times or incorrectly stored. A guide to book conditions the hobbit first edition by j. If youre selling your books online and they do not meet our condition standards, we may change our bid or decide not to use the books at all. It may have very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover as well as very minimal wear and tear. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages.

How to read rare book condition descriptions book collecting guide. They were adopted by the bookselling community and are still in use today. Our speciality is in old and rare books, specifically early printed books before 1800 including incunabula, early bibles pre1800, manuscripts in general, handwritten books, medieval manuscripts, books of hours, archives, natural history books, color plate books, books on travel and exploration and much more. Association copy a book once belonging to the author, or signed or annotated by the author to someone closely associated with the author of the book or the book itself in some way. In general it is harder to find wellloved books that are in top condition. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book condition. Ever how to interpret the condition, edition, and other terms included in the description of a book for sale. The most common standard book condition descriptions from best to worst are. Complete descriptions sell more books grading book condition alibris. When considering buying or selling a rare book for your collection, condition is key to pricing.

Lot old 10 vintage antique set wizard of oz book collection. Very good is a fairly broad term and more difficult to describe. Here are some common terms used to describe the condition of old books. Bowed covers may turn inward toward the leaves or outward away from the leaves.

An antique is usually an item that is collected or desirable because of its age, beauty, rarity, condition. Always remember that you do want your customer to be pleased and have no sudden surprises or misleading conditional descriptions. The lookup table below shows the values and definitions by category. Unfollow antique books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. All members agree to abide by the abaas code of ethics. The quest to better describe the scent of old books. Fair a book in very worn condition, but all of its important parts and dust jacket if one was issued must be present. Binding copy describes a book in which the pages or leaves are perfect, but the binding is very bad, loose, off, or nonexistent. For instance, an antique firearm that has an excellent grade under nra antique condition standards might only rate very good under the standard catalog of firearms grading system. The highest grade for a book s physical condition is as new. This is a book with significant damage that would only be worth selling if it includes rare signatures, inscriptions or was owned by a famous person.

Fine f condition is defined as approximately 30%60% of the original finish remaining. The terms used in evaluating firearms condition have specific meaning. You can help insure that your antique books stand the test of time. A condition resulting from storing a book on a shelf so that it leans and rests against its neighbor or the side of a bookcase. Not previously sold at retail, in same condition as current factory production. A fr copy will have virtually no eye appeal and will display major damage. It has very minimal damage to the cover, including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. Ioba condition definitions independent online booksellers.