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Bookscout's Corner

Books shown on the lower right are examples of some good reference books for collectors and book dealers. We do not have these books for sale, but you can check on bookfinder or your other favorite search site.

The first book shown, A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions", is available from McBride/Publisher, 141 South Street, West Hartford, CT 06110. Their website is McBride. Be sure to get their most recent edition. They also have the booklet "Points of Issue", and other related booklets.

A great magazine for collectors is Firsts Magazine which is published nine times a year. It has very informative articles on collectible books and authors, information on collecting, binding, condition standards, and links to many major book dealers. Their website is Firsts.

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Glossary & Abbreviations

As New:Book and dust jacket as nice as if directly from the publisher, crisp and clean. Fine: No flaws unless minor ones noted, but not quite as crisp as "as new". Very good or VG: Book or jacket may have some small flaws which are noted. Good: Book or jacket have more problems as described, but text and interior are acceptable. We generally don't have any books in lesser condition, except perhaps a "fair" dust jacket that is described.
hb, hard cover A hardback book
pb, sc, soft cover A paperback of one sort or another.
dj Dust jacket: the paper cover around hardback books.
Wraps or wrappers. The covers bound onto a paperback book. However, some dealers list the dust jacket of a hardback book as a dust wrapper.
ffep, fep Front free endpaper, free endpaper: the first page when the book is opened. Also sometimes referred to as the flyleaf.
ARC: An advance reading copy, softcover, which is sent out by publishers for comments before the book is published. ______________________________





A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, Sixth revised edition, by Bill McBride. Click on picture to see clearly.


The Sanders Price Guide to Autographs fifth edition.


The Sanders Price Guide to Sports Autographs, third edition.


Book Collector's Fact Book, by Margaret Haller. Definitions of terms and tips on collecting


ABC for Book Collectors, by John Carter. Essential reference for book collectors on terminology and analysis of the technical terms used in the trade.



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