Because the dustjacket accounts for so much of the value of modern First Edition fiction, unscrupulous individuals have no compunction about creating facsimile dustjackets for First Editions that otherwise would be unclothed. Of course, not all facsimile dustjackets are created with evil intent. The key is, to know the difference:
Facsimile 1st Edition, 1st State dustjacket...so stated at the top of the front inside flap
Booksellers often have facsimile dustjackets printed to clothe First Editions for which a protective covering might otherwise be unavailable. But they make certain that their client understands that the dustjacket is a facsimile, and usually this fact is printed somewhere on the facsimile dustjacket itself.
Jessica Mulley, in an excellent 2005 article, goes into considerable detail about what to look for if you are not sure whether or not a dustjacket is original to a particular title.
A final caveat emptor: always buy from a reputable bookseller, and carry at least a 30x pocket magnifier with you anytime you think dustjackets are going to be problematic for a particular purchase....
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