INDEX
Rare First Editions
Rare Book Dealers
Exquisite Book Photos
Identifying First Editions
Rare & Exotic Books
World Of Books
Links To Great Book Sites
Realm Of Rare & Exotic Books
World Of Rare Books
Making History
Do More Than Collect Books
Try Your Luck....
More Than Just Books
My intention is to acquaint you with this interesting hobby, to explain the terminology and to dispel a few myths or misconceptions. This hobby which is for anyone who appreciates books - has more variety within it than any other collecting field you can imagine.
You can collect recent in-print books, books from the 19th century, and pamphlets from the period of the American Revolution, the French Revolution or Viet Nam. Books printed on mission presses in the Pacific or books from the first century of printing Paperback books, pulp magazines, fine leather bindings, historic newspapers, the list is truly endless.
This website was also built with the hopes of discovering new and exciting places to find rare books. I would like to offer my knowledge and information to other serious collectors, and in return, hope you will share your knowledge with me. Now join me, on what could be a very exciting and memorable treasure hunt!
Book collectors have a high regard for priority. They search for first editions, first printings, first issues, and earliest imprints.
People who collect literature rather than non-fiction often place the greatest emphasis on priority. As well as searching for first editions, they want first printings of the edition and the earliest issues when priority has been established.
The definitions of state, "first edition" and "issue" are some what complicated and can be interpreted differently, so I will only give you a general understanding of the terms all the while, keeping in mind that there will be exceptions.
First Edition Copies that were printed from the first setting of type, which can include multiple printings if all of them are from the same setting of type. Every printed book has a first edition, many never have later editions. A later edition would have substantial changes in the printing plates or type such as the addition of a new preface or new chapter or major changes throughout the text and often is printed from a complete resetting of the type. When book collectors use the term first edition, they are usually referring to the first printing and if there is different issues, the earliest of that.
Issue This is a portion of an edition printed or published deliberately by the printer or publisher in a unique form differing from the rest of the printing relative to paper, binding, format, etc. The distinction between "issue" and "state" is that the former relates to changes done on purpose by the publisher or printer and intentionally treated as a separate unit. An example would be a large paper issue or an issue in publisher's leather.
State Is a portion of a printing with changes such as minor alterations to the text either intentional or accidental; insertion of cancels, advertisements or other insertions; copies on different paper without intention of creating a separate issue; and changes other than folding or collating or binding. An example would be when a pressman discovers battered or broken type, stops the presses and resets that portion of the page by replacing the broken type and then resumes the printing, which would result in at least two states.
Condition is probably the most important thing to a book collector.
Over the years there have been attempts to establish what one might call a "uniform code" of definitions of condition which would be acceptable to all. However, due to the subjective nature such categories or ratings have been applied with considerable variation by very new booksellers versus those in the business for decades, by collectors of modern first editions versus collectors of local histories and genealogies, by a knowledgeable collector offering duplicates for sale versus someone who found a carton of dusty books in the attic.
It is possible to define categories of condition, but virtually impossible to enforce a standard application of the categories.
When shopping for a book, look for all of the obvious problems, defects and signs of wear, as well as the overall condition of the book. If you don't want a book with scattered foxing, rubbing at corners and extremities of spine, or if a weak hinge or a book with a missing endpaper doesnt appeal to you, or a dust jacket with minor chips, or the rear free endpaper is missing, dont purchase or order the book. But if the book is one you have been searching for and this may be your only chance to buy it, you probably should tolerate the damage. The decision to purchase rests with you.
- The Official Definition
For many years, the grading system defined by AB Bookman was the standard in the antiquarian book trade. IOBA's standards, listed below, do not fundamentally differ from those standards though they have been expanded upon, and defined a bit more specifically. (Condition normally shown as __/__, i.e., F/F, denoting first book & then dust jacket condition)
AS NEW (AN) or VERY FINE (VF): Without faults or defects, unread, in the same immaculate condition in which it was published (Note: very few "new" books qualify for this grade, as many times there will be rubs/scuffs to the dust jackets from shipping, or bumped lower spine ends/corners from shelving).
(Note: Though some use has been made of the term Mint it is: A term borrowed, via philately, from the numismatists (who now prefer 'fleur de coin'), meaning as good as new, and extended to such uses as 'mint copy', 'dust-jacket defective, otherwise mint'. Not to be encouraged. [Carter, ABC For Book Collectors, 7th Ed., 1995, p. 142.].)
FINE (F): Approaches the above, but not crisp. The book may show signs of having been carefully read, but no real defects or faults.
(NOTE: From here on, there may be "+" and "-" in a grade, which will mean that it is above the grade noted but not quite to the next higher grade for "+", and that it is below the grade noted but not quite to the next lower grade for "-".
NEAR FINE: Also used, although not contained in Bookman's Weekly definitions, meaning a book or dust jacket approaching FINE but with a couple of very minor defects or faults, which should be noted.
VERY GOOD: A used book showing some small signs of wear on either binding or dust jacket. Any defects/faults must be noted.
GOOD: The average used and worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted.
FAIR: A worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, half-title page, etc. (which must be noted). Binding, dust jacket, etc. may also be worn. All defects/faults must be noted.
POOR or READING COPY: A book that is sufficiently worn that its only merit is the complete text, which must be legible. Any missing maps or plates should still be noted. May be soiled, scuffed, stained, or spotted, and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc.
EX-LIBRARY: Must always be designated as such no matter what the condition of the book.
BOOK CLUB: Must always be noted as such no matter what the condition of the book.
BINDING COPY: The text block, including illustrations in a book are complete but the binding is lacking, or in such poor condition it is beyond realistic restoration efforts.
REMAINDER MARKS, BOOKPLATES, and PREVIOUS OWNER'S NAME: Should be noted unless you explain in your general information that you do not note such.
ODORS/SOILING: It is the bookseller's responsibility to either describe such conditions in book descriptions or rectify them before listing, if possible to do so without harm to a book or its dust jacket. If either cannot be rectified before listing a book online, then it should be mentioned in the description of the book. This also applies to dust jacket protectors and packing materials; buyers should not have to be responsible for trying to rectify odors or soiling not mentioned by a bookseller.
Always, if issued with one, the lack of a dust jacket or slipcase should be noted.
Copyright 2000 by Independent Online Booksellers Association
Bibliographies and references are the tools of a book collector
References provide information which is extremely valuable to a book collector. They are so important that you will find that the information you gain more than pays for the 'investment' in useful references. They aid in the identification of first printings, help determine scarcity, let you know what is available in your chosen field of collecting, help with collation of pages and illustrations to determine whether a copy is complete, provide information on variety of bindings to expect, give details on the non-fiction subject or life of the author you collect, and are the essential ingredients for initiating and building a successful book collection.
Many bibliographies and other references are relatively expensive because they are normally published in small editions. If you cannot afford to purchase the references appropriate to your collection, you should be able to find many of them in most large university or major city library collections.
Having a very basic knowledge of the types of paper and of bindings will can help you in dating undated material and also possibly help you identify fraudulent material.
The earliest paper used in books in America was handmade and imported from Europe, primarily from England. The first paper mill was in operation in 1690 in Germantown, Pennsylvania.
The early handmade paper used in the 17th and 18th centuries can be distinguished from later paper by holding the paper up to a light and looking for chain-lines which are left by the wires in the paper mold. This pattern is very discernable and appears as parallel lines, roughly an inch apart with many horizontal short lines connecting the long wire lines. Some modern stationary paper has artificially applied chain-lines and is usually referred to as "laid" paper which is the proper name for the handmade chain-line paper.
Watermarks are a signature, design or logo in the paper made by the same process that leaves the chain lines. Watermarks can also be seen by holding the paper up to the light. The earliest American paper made by William Rittenhouse in 1690 had a watermark which reads company. Most 18th century paper has watermarks which is one way of attaching an approximate date of manufacture to the paper. Even if the paper has no year in the watermark it can still be dated by the design in the watermark.
Major advances in papermaking occurred when wove paper was invented. Wove paper was first used in a book printed in America in 1795. Wove paper, which shows no chain-lines, but rather a smooth appearing paper, were often referred to as vellum papers because of their smoothness. Wove paper became the standard paper for books and other uses after 1800, and through approximately 1820.
The first machine made paper in America was made in Delaware in 1817 and the first newspaper printed on this paper was published in Philadelphia in 1817. Machine made paper is more uniform in thickness, lacks the "deckle edges" (uneven edges) of handmade paper and is weaker, more prone to tearing and usually has watermarks. The difference between machine made wove paper and handmade wove paper is often the thickness and uniformity of thickness.
The next development in paper was the wood pulp paper made in New York in 1854. In 1882 the sulfite wood pulp process was developed and much of the high acid content paper was used thereafter in newspapers, magazines and books. A large number of the newspapers printed in the U.S. during the Civil War period survived in a good state because they were essentially acid-free 100% rag paper. The newspapers of the 1880's and later turned brown and brittle due to high acid content.
In 1852 another development occurred which is useful in dating some types of ephemera. This was the coating of paper stock with China clay to produce a very smooth, glossy surface. Trade cards with the coated stock paper must date from that time or later.
The ability to assign an approximate date to a book based on the binding takes considerable experience, but there are some general rules which will help you with this task.
Early bindings of manuscripts often consisted of oak or other wood, sometimes covered with leather or vellum, attached to the body of text with leather thongs.
Modern bindings no longer make use of cords to attach the book to its binding.
Most 18th century bindings consist of vellum or leather covered boards with raised bands on the spine. These volumes have leather labels, with the title and/or author gilt stamped, glued into the panels or spaces between the raised bands.
The use of cloth following 1827 almost coincides with the development of the case binding; the binding was constructed separately and made ready to attach to the book, attached primarily by the endpapers.
Case bindings were developed between 1825 and 1830 and allowed for easier binding of large editions.
Before 1835 the gilt or other color titles on front boards and spines was stamped by hand and one also sees printed paper labels used on many books between 1800 and 1835.
Pictorial cloth bindings became common in the final quarter of the 19th century. These bindings often appear to have a scene from the book painted directly on the cloth of the front cover.
The following is a rough guide for Bindings with approximate dates:
1630's-1790 raised bands on spine
approx. 1775 lack of raised bands on spines
approx. 1785 coarse linen cloth bindings
approx. 1790 paper-covered boards
1800 - 1840 printed paper-covered boards
1825 - 1830 case binding begins
1827 cloth publishers binding
1835 embossing presses in use
1840 machine casing of books
1880 very pictorial cloth bindings
1900 dust jackets begin
The earliest form of book illustration to be used in America is the woodcut.
For the remainder of the 17th century and most of the 18th century, the woodcut and an occasional small cut are the only type of illustration in American books.
In the 1790's another form of engraving became popular for production of book illustrations. It was called the wood engraving.
Lithography was developed in France in the late 18th century and was revolutionary for book illustrations. This process was an efficient way of making many prints of high quality from the same "plate".
In the early part of the 19th century, two other forms of engraving were utilized. One used acid to cut into the metal plate for some book illustrations. The other method of using acid was etching which has been used for production of prints rather than book illustrations.
In the 1840's chromolithography was developed and colored book illustrations and prints and all types of ephemera were produced in mass quantities. (Previously most color book illustrations were produced by hand water-coloring of black and white illustrations)
The next type of book illustration came from the invention of photography. The earliest American book to have an actual photograph for an illustration is "Homes of American Statesmen" published in 1854.
In the mid to late 1860's two processes were invented which would allow thousands of prints of a photograph to be made: the Woodbury type and the Heliotype.
The photogravure is a method of making an intaglio metal plate from a photographic image and then printing from the plate as many copies as you want.
The halftone, was invented in the 1850's, and was not used extensively until the 20th century but it became one of the most used methods of illustrating a book.
The following is a rough guide for Illustrations with approximate dates:
1670's woodcut
1700's copperplate engraving
1790's wood engraving
1820's lithography
1830's aquatints & etchings
1840's chromolithography
1850's salt print photographs
1860's albumen print photographs
1860's woodbury types & heliotypes
1880's photogravures
1900's halftones in frequent use (invented in 1850's)
present offset printing(a form of planographic printing similar to lithography)
4to - A book that is up to 12" tall.
8vo - A book that is up to 9 Ύ" tall.
12mo - A book that is up to 7 Ύ" tall.
16mo - A book that is up to 6 Ύ" tall.
24mo - A book that is up to 5 Ύ" tall.
32mo - A book that is up to 5" tall.
48mo - A book that is up to 4" tall.
64mo - A book that is up to 3" tall.
Folio - A book that is up to 15" tall.
Elephant Folio - A book that is up to 23" tall.
Atlas Folio - A book that is up to 25" tall.
Double Elephant Folio - A book that is up to 50" tall.
In general, it is best to collect books because you enjoy books and you like the excitement and challenge of the hunt or the search for specific titles. You might even be after the information contained within the books for research or personal enjoyment. To collect books for purpose of investment, hoping for monetary gain, is not a good idea. However, if that is your intent, you should plan on keeping your collection for a minimum of ten years before attempting to liquidate the collection to convert to cash.
There is no guarantee that you will be able to retire on the capital gains from your book collection - collect books because you enjoy the hobby!
