A brief description of the grading system we apply to our books.
New :
A new, unread, unused, unopened book in perfect condition with no marks or damage. Purchased wholesale, safely stored & untouched.
Second Hand :
Like New :
A book that has been purchased and perhaps opened, but remains solid & looks new. The book cover or dust jacket has no visible wear or marks at all. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. No identifying marks on the inside covers. No wear and tear.
Very Good :
A book that has been opened and perhaps read and does not quite look new, but is in excellent condition. No damage at all to the book cover or dust jacket (if applicable). No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, no marks, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. No identifying marks on the inside covers. Very little wear and tear (barely noticeable if any).
Good :
A book that has been read, but is still in good condition. It may have minimal damage to the book cover e.g., no major scuff marks, no creases, holes or tears. Binding has minimal wear, if any, only shelf wear. The pages are undamaged with very little creasing or tearing. Perhaps has some writing on the inside front, e.g. a name, or a message but this remains minimal. No highlighting of text, no writing in the margins, and no missing pages.
Acceptable :
A book with obvious wear. May have some creasing or damage to the book cover but the book is still usable. The binding may be slightly scuffed around the edges but it is still completely intact. May have some underlining and highlighting of text and some writing in the margins, but there are no missing pages or anything else that would compromise the readability or legibility of the text. For older books there may be a little tanning or foxing but this will also be minimal. Small closed tears are possible, but no longer than 2-3cm.
Some Other Book Terminology :
Tanning - age tanning or browning/yellowing occurs over time on the pages of books, tanning tends to start on the outside of the pages and progresses inward over time, often creating a brownish or yellowish border around the page edges.
Foxed / Foxing - age-related brown or brown-yellowish spotting of the paper caused by a chemical reaction over time.
Sunned - damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight.
Closed Tear - indicates a torn page in which no material has been lost. A closed tear can be pressed back into place or sometimes fixed with archival repair tape.
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