Book Condition Guide
For every book we sell, we provide accurate descriptions using terminology defined by prominent antiquarian and secondhand marketplaces such as AbeBooks and Biblio.
Book Grading
A grading system is used to evaluate the condition of our books. We tend to be conservative in our assessment, underplaying rather than exaggerating.
New - A book straight from the publisher.
As New - A book that appears as if it came directly from the publisher, but did not. It has been carefully stored and remains in pristine condition.
Fine - A book that has been opened and read but has no defects.
Near Fine - A book close to fine but may have a very minor defect.
Very Good - A book showing some minor signs of wear but no tears to binding, pages or dust jacket. It isn't highlighted or underlined. May have a previous owner's signature or inscription.
Good - A book that is still whole but is worn. It may have defects such as foxing, be sunned, or might have a minor stain. It might have highlighting, underlining and annotations.
Fair - A worn book with complete body text that shows significant wear, but may have a blank page missing, a dust jacket with tears and parts missing, or the binding is loose.
Poor - A readable copy that may be heavily scuffed, stained, or have loose pages.