Glossary of Book Terms Condition Guide Common Abbreviations Book Sizes Back to Store
Condition Guide

Typical Usage: 'F/VG' ( fine book in very good jacket).

Fine (F) - No defects, little usage. Older books may show minor flaws.

Very Good (VG) - Shows some signs of wear and is no longer fresh. Attractive. 

Good (G) - The average used book with all pages present. Books with loose bindings, highlighting, cocked spine, torn dust jackets, can fall into this category. 

Fair (FR) - Obviously well-worn and handled but no text pages are missing, however, it may be without endpapers or a title page. There might be markings, but they do not interfere with readability. 

Poor (P) - All text is legible but may be soiled and have binding defects. Reading copies and binding copies fall into this category. 


NB: Please keep in mind that book characteristics and conditions vary.