We have expended much electronic ink on the proposition that one can put together a very nice private library simply by scouting out yard sales, garage sales, friends-of-the-library book sales, publishers' clearance sales and the like. And if one is an accumulator rather than a collector (see our many previous posts about the difference between the two), the condition of the books that one acquires at such venues is unlikely to be a matter of great concern.
Collectors, however, have one eye on posterity: they hope eventually to dispose of their private library through sale or donation. Accordingly, the condition of the books they acquire is an issue of some consequence--books in poor condition do not bring much money in the marketplace, and such books are of little scholarly value if scholars cannot use them for fear they are too fragile.
We have previously examined some of the more common ills to which books are prone, such as foxing and browning. Today, with the help of photos from ILAB's excellent glossary, we are going to examine some of the problems associated with book coverings. Most of these would normally be classified as minor concerns, but--as with all else in the world of collectibles--degree of damage can easily elevate such problems to the point where they become consequential.
The corners of a book covering can, with use, become bumped--i.e., the corners get worn down, or rounded, or bent somewhat out of shape:
This problem usually is the result of poor handling--e.g., not carefully placing a book on, or removing it from, shelves. But it just as frequently is the result of booksellers not properly packaging books for the rough treatment books often receive in transit. Because all components of a book's manufacture (covering material, paper, ink, etc.) degrade over time, and because many modern books are poorly manufactured to begin with, a little extra TLC never hurts.
Book covers also may exhibit chipping, which occurs when a small piece or pieces of the cover (or dustjacket) break off completely:
Age of the covering material is a factor here, as are poor environmental storage conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) and rough handling.
Sometimes tears to dustjackets do not become severe enough to qualify as chipping, but are instead closed tears:
A more severe problem is when a cloth or leather cover becomes cracked:
As with most of the other problems we have outlined, age is a factor in such damage, as are poor environmental storage conditions, rough handling and the use of poor quality materials to manufacture a given book or books.
We will examine some additional ills to which book coverings are prone in a future post....
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