Resources

A Collector’s Reference

Notes on how we describe and grade the books we sell

Book Size Guide

These terms come from the print shop, not the bookshop — they originally described how many times a full printer’s sheet was folded to form a book’s pages. A sheet folded once (in folio) yields large leaves; folded twice (in quarto), smaller ones; and so on. Today the terms are used more loosely, as shorthand for a book’s approximate height rather than a strict record of how it was printed.

Folio

More than 13" tall

Quarto (4to)

Approx. 10–13" tall — average 12"

Octavo (8vo)

Approx. 8–10" tall — average 9"

Duodecimo (12mo)

Approx. 7–8" tall — average 7.5"

Sextodecimo (16mo)

Approx. 6–7" tall — average 6.5"

Sizes outside this range exist too — miniature books are often 64mo or smaller, while most modern hardcover books fall into the octavo or duodecimo range.

Condition Grading Chart

Every book in this catalog is graded using the standard scale below, established trade practice among antiquarian booksellers. A grade describes the book’s overall condition; specific flaws, however minor, are always called out separately in a listing’s condition notes rather than left implied by the grade alone.

As New / Mint

As close to perfect as a used book gets — indistinguishable from a copy fresh from the publisher.

Fine (F)

Complete and bright with no defects, but with the faintest signs of having been read or handled.

Near Fine (NF)

A Fine copy with one or two minor flaws, each specifically noted rather than left to guesswork.

Very Good (VG)

Shows real signs of age or use — light wear, a bit of fading — but no major defects. The typical grade for a well-kept older book.

Good (G)

A complete, worn copy. In the trade, “Good” describes an average used book rather than one that looks great — any specific defects are called out separately.

Fair

Worn and possibly loose or shaken, but complete unless a listing notes otherwise.

Poor / Reading Copy

Heavily worn, and possibly incomplete — bought for its text rather than as a collectible.

A dust jacket, when present, is graded separately from the book itself — a Very Good book can carry a Fine jacket, or vice versa.

Glossary of Common Terms

First Edition

The first printing of a book’s first edition — often the version collectors seek out specifically.

Points (of Issue)

Small textual or physical details used to distinguish one printing or state of a book from another.

Provenance

A book’s ownership history — who has owned it, and how that history is documented.

Foxing

Small reddish-brown spots on paper, caused by age, humidity, or impurities in the paper itself.

Recto / Verso

The front (right-hand) and back (left-hand) side of a leaf.

Colophon

A brief inscription, often at the end of a book, giving details of its printing.

Hinges

The inner joints where the covers meet the spine, visible when the book is opened.

Boards

The stiff covers of a hardbound book.

Endpapers

The leaves joining the text block to the front and back boards.

Association Copy

A copy with a documented connection to the author or another notable figure.