Faults & Defects

BOOK CLUB Must always be noted as such no matter what the condition of the book.
BOOK PLATE An ownership label, usually placed inside front cover.
BINDING COPY A book in which the text block, including illustrations, is complete but the binding is lacking, or in such poor condition it is beyond realistic restoration efforts.
BUMPED Refers to the corners or spine ends of a book that has been damaged by being dropped or carelessly handled
CHIPPED Small pieces broken off of a dust jacket or binding.
CLOSED TEAR A tear with no material missing.
COCKED If, when looking down on the head of a book, the corners are not square DAMPSTAIN A stain left on a cover or pages after having been exposed to water.
DING A small bump or dent leaving an impression,
DOG-EARED Worn or ragged. Corners of pages are turned down
EX-LIBRARY Must always be designated as such no matter what the condition of the book.
FOXING Brown spots thought to be caused by impurities in paper
LOOSE loose and sloppy in its binding.
OPEN TEAR A tear that may have some material missing.
OWNER’S INSCRIPTION Words written in a book by a previous or original owner of book.

READING CREASE A crease down the spine of a book (usually a paperback).
REBACKED A repair to a book, where the original spine has been replaced
REBOUND A repair, where the entire binding has been replaced by a new one.
RECASED A repair, where a book is taken apart and put back together using original pages, cloth, and endpapers.
REMAINDER MARK A mark (rubber stamp, felt marker stroke, or spray, often on a book’s bottom edge) signifying that the book was returned to publisher as unsold
RUBBED Where color has been worn from portions of the binding or dust jacket.
SHAKEN The text block is loose in its binding; no longer tight, but not detached.
SOPHISTICATED Books that have had repairs that involve making additions to the original (e.g.: chips filled in and tinted to match the missing portion, replaced page corners, etc.). In the trade, an “honest” book description should disclose all “sophistications.”
STARTING Hinges or joints beginning to show signs of tearing
STICKER DAMAGE A price sticker has been roughly removed resulting in surface damage to the underlying material.
STICKER GHOST A sticker has been left on a book for some time, and the glue, reacting chemically, has discolored the surface. Also, sticker residue.
SUNNED Browning, yellowing, or fading of paper, dustjacket or binding as a result of sun exposure.
TAPE RESIDUE Complications of cellophane tape that remains on the paper or a book’s cover, resulting in brown stains or bits of tape adhering to paper.
TENDER When the binding is loosening.
VARIANT A copy of a book that varies in some way from the ideal copy. Can refer to binding color, illustrations, etc.