Jan 14, 2010 sometimes the covers are partly cloth and part paper. The hardcover books look much nicer without the dust jackets, but right. Bibliophiles know that a good dust jacket will help protect their precious books from the ravages of sun and shelf wear. Spread out the dust jacket on the protective covering to measure how much covering you will need. I am not going to list them on amazon because there is no profit margin for them at all. Recently i discovered a way to protect our home library using the same materials that the public libraries do. In light of the skills ive learned this summer, i decided to offer my services in repairing the dust jacket. The reasoning behind book dust jacket while there is a hardcover. So to be able to order a fresh set of dust covers so that the books look good again on the coffee table would be so appreciated. Follow this simple process to protect and maintain your books without breaking the bank buying professional book. Nov 15, 2014 i leave the jackets on if they make the book look better. If you take the paper jacket off of a hard cover it.
I take it off when reading, put it in a safe place and put it back on when done. Im a big fan of book design, so, if the designer has a really compelling, visually engaging vision for the dust jacket, i can kind of get onboard with that. Old books are a charming link to the past, but quite a fragile one. Does anyone else dislikeget really irritated by dust jackets. Book dust jackets are essential to ensuring a books longevity. As with toy collecting, where the box the toy came in is worth more than the toy itself, a nice dust jacket.
Pages are clean and not marred by notes or folds of any kind. I leave the jackets on if they make the book look better. The jacket, which sets the mood for the book, or positions it within its genre, or provides hardhitting sales copy, both complements and promotes the book. Those who love old books are all too aware that the original dust jacket is often missing. Another tactic used by unscrupulous sellers is to marry a second edition dust jacket in the case where its identical to a first edition dust jacket to a book club edition thats otherwise difficult to distinguish from the first trade edition. Many concerned booksellers have written encouraging an edit to this article, so we will share it here without changing the text above. Dust jackets and how to keep dust off of them by james dawson the dust jacket is the paper cover that wraps around a book to protect it. The covers make the book interesting before you open it. You might be better off finding an exlibrary copy, cleaning up the dust jacket, and then selling or donating the library copy of the book and keeping your better condition copy. Sometimes the book without the jacket is bland looking and not very appealing. The modern glossy dust jacket seems to protect books better than the older ones.
Feb 06, 2017 the dust jacket makes the book look more puttogether and dressed in my mind my toddler immediately removes the dust jackets from her books and tries to with mine. Mar 14, 2020 a dust jacket, also known as a dust cover or book cover, protects a book s case from wear. What do you do with the dust jacket from a hardcover book. This is just a process video, and definitely not a tutorial by any means. I usually just throw it in a drawer while im reading a book and then put it back on when i go to put the book on a shelf. A brief history of the dust jacket book collecting guide. Anyone ever noticed that hard cover books look better. Seek advice regarding archival cover for hardcover books without dust jackets book care and repair. Book talk anyone ever noticed that hard cover books look better without paper jacket. Kids books have such fun dust jackets that im trying to figure out a cute and easy way to display some of our favorites.
The only way to receive a dust jacket is to select the hardcover, dust jacket option for your book order during checkout. A book without the original dustjacket doesnt become a book with. Those who love old books are all too aware that the original dust jacket. If you are vacuuming a particularly old or fragile book, consider placing a piece of cheesecloth between the vacuum hose and attachment to reduce suction. If you look at books around your house youll find a mixture of possibilities. We scoured our vast selection of vintage books for the most beautiful dust jackets, and soon discovered that selecting just 30 was a nearly impossible task. Jan 06, 2009 that way, the jackets dont get ruined, and my books look good.
All pages and the cover are intact, including the dust jacket, if applicable. Did you receive a book, expecting a dust jacket, but it came without one. And now, id like to take a brief moment to talk about dust jackets and, specifically, the role of dust jackets on childrens books. It is in the way when i read, but to throw it away would feel kind of like throwing away the book itself.
Scholarly books can receive heavy use by graduate students and researchers and the dust jackets get torn very quickly. Now, i prefer the look of my books without them, but only when theyre on my personal home bookshelves. Comments are turned off autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. I would love if i was able to order new dust covers for the books i have already bought. When you read a book without the cover, it might be more comfortable in your hands, but the oils and grime and dirt and slime from your skin are getting all over that poor books cloth. A dust jacket, also known as a dust cover or book cover, protects a books case from wear. Oct 07, 2008 the covers have fallen off our curious george books and the dust jackets of other books have seen much better days. A deep dive into the history of the illustrated book jacket, tracing its development across the twentieth century. The valuable rare book dust jacket by the bookworm on february 26, 2012 art of the book, modern firsts a modern first editions value is very much dependant on its dust jacket dust wrapper or dust cover.
The more dust jackets and books you handle, the more easily youll be able to identify newer paper versus old, just by touch. How to make distressed leatherwrapped books make brand new books look like old leatherbound tomes by covering them in a removable leather jacket that youve distressed and antiqued. So i removed all the paper jackets and threw them away. What makes these books so unusuallooking is that, even though theyre hardcovers, their cover art is not printed on dust jackets but instead. Anyone ever noticed that hard cover books look better without paper. If you take the paper jacket off of a hard cover it always looks better. What to do with book jackets reluctant entertainer.
For instance, bookseller raptis rare books lists features. A soft dust brush vacuum attachment, a soft cloth, dry cleaning pad, white plastic eraser and glass cleaner are the only materials needed for cleaning old books with hard, leather and dust jacket covers. Mar 03, 2016 designed a dust jacket for the book to kill a mockingbird by harper lee. The wear you see on a dust jacket is the wear you would see on a book s covers if it did not have a jacket.
Theyll add a timeworn touch to your bookcase and make great handmade gifts for literary friends. The valuable rare book dust jacket rare books digest. Why you should read every hardcover with the book jacket. That way, the jackets dont get ruined, and my books look good. Why you should read every hardcover with the book jacket off. How to protect and secure a dust jacket no tape, no slippage duration. This selection ranges from 1917 to 1969, and really is just a drop in the bucket. The dust jacket is part of the book and it would be incomplete without it. Free book jacket layout template for diy selfpublishers by joel friedlander on december 15, 2010 19 comments one of the most challenging tasks for a doityourself selfpublisher is laying out a dust jacket for a hardcover book.
Anyone ever noticed that hard cover books look better without. One thing dust jackets do very well is protect spinescovers from fading, which will happen over time if a shelf is exposed to sunlight. Kandice mccallum, aka lady bluestocking, makes facsimile reproductions and custom dust jackets for vintage books. The dust jackets themselves were worthless and the plain paper was discarded when the books were unwrapped for display in bookstores. The matte soft cover finish is less reflective than gloss, giving a more natural look to cover art. The only reasons i can really see for the existence of dust jackets on kids books are aesthetic reasons. I like the way it looks, but its also usually because the dust jacket is in lousy shape or doesnt fit the book right. My goal is to scan and archive images of as many vintage dust jackets as i can. Booksellers, thornhill, on, canada and jeff coopman, the usual suspects, st. Jul 12, 2018 book dust jackets are essential to ensuring a book s longevity. Properly applied, they add to the looks of the book but most importantly. Theyre always sliding off, or arent in the right position when i go to close the book, or they fall off one side and just hang there flopping around.
Books feels better in your hands when that jacket isn. Book jackets are bad and you cant convince me otherwise. Authors, designers and consumers are enamored with the look and feel of matte lamination. Clothcovered books that are aging must be handled with extreme care, and cleaning them can be more challenging. A guide to book conditions the hobbit first edition by j. Plus, the book on the shelf looks better in a dust jacket. And i cant imagine the cost of printing a single dust jacket on thick enough glossy paper would be very economical. But the repairs you do undertake will make your books look better and last longer, just like the split seam well sewn preserves your favorite tweed jacket. The importance of dust jackets used books and rare books. If it is not a classic, i will take it off while reading, then put it back on when read and then.
A brief history of the dust jacket books tell you why, inc. If you use a regular duster, hold the book tightly shut. Seeing the book covers art helps to identify the book for future reference. There are poorly written books which have beautiful dust jackets and are collectible solely because of the jacket. I have collections of books by the same author that i list on ebay, so i could pair the books together by author and list these books with the others as well. If its not paperback, dust jacket stays on while i read the book. Free book jacket layout template for diy selfpublishers. Rare book collectors look for authenticity and minimal wear, tears, stains, cuts or writing inside or outside the dust jacket dust wrapper or dust cover. Are you supposed to read a hardcover book with the.
Seek advice regarding archival cover for hardcover books. The velvety texture of the finish makes for a pleasant tactile experience. The list below is a starting point and allows for mix and matching and, you dont have to put all of these on your cover. New listing lot 3 books science fantasy wizards in. The book may have been opened and read, but there are no defects to the book, jacket or pages. But doing so would be terrible for casual book readers. The case includes the front and back covers along with the spine. Price clippedthe price has been clipped from the corner of the dust jacket. Its not like i spend my time doing more with the cover than glancing at it if ive bought the book, so it doesnt bother me to take it off. And if the book gets beat up, the dust jacket covers that up. Some hardcovers are issued without dust jackets, especially scholarly books. If it is a classic, i will typically throw it away so i can use the actually book for decoration. Sometimes the covers are partly cloth and part paper. Seuss books cannot be identified without the dust jacket.
Protecting your books should be high on your list of priorities if you are a book lover or intend to keep your book for a long period of time. Tolkien when considering the purchase of a book for your collection, the condition and, if applicable, the dust jacket are the most important factors affecting the value. I have bought a few repro covers from mark terry in the past but there are always inevitably some that he doesnt have, and i have pondered. This is just a process video, and definitely not a tutorial by any means, as i would not recommend you do things like this.
Book received with no dustjacket general selling on amazon. Dust, mild stains, and pencil marks are fairly easy to remove. Get the best deals on books with dust jacket when you shop the largest online. Designed a dust jacket for the book to kill a mockingbird by harper lee. Every hardcover that comes into my possession is desecrated, almost immediately, insofar as i automatically remove the dust jacket and often transport it directly to the trash. Dust jackets are so important that sometimes an essentially worthless book can be valuable because of its dust jacket. For modern book collectors, the condition of the dust jacket in some cases is 7080% of the value of the book. However, since it is itself relatively fragile, and since dust jackets have practical, aesthetic and sometimes financial value, the jacket may in turn be wrapped in another jacket, usually transparent, especially if the book.
Carefully hold the book to make sure there arent any marked, tears, creases etc. More serious damage from insects, acid, or damp is difficult but not impossible to. What exactly is the value of dust jackets on kids books. Dustjacket protectors are the best option to protect your dustjackets from the. The dust jacket makes the book look more puttogether and dressed in my mind my toddler immediately removes the dust jackets from her books and tries to with mine. In addition to its promotional role, the dust jacket protects the book covers from damage. What did the poor dust jacket ever do to deserve such scorn. Covering hardback books without dust jackets youtube. Publishers dont bother with jackets for those books. Ive started this post several times before, but ive always found myself paralyzed with the fear that this minirant would turn into a. Indeed, for modern first editions, a book without the dust jacket will sell for only a fraction of the price. Dust jackets provide the vast majority of books published today with their only color and art. A coffee spill is more likely to run off a glossy dust jacket than a matte one.
Its important to note that reputable dealers will be up front with you about whether a dust jacket is a facsimileand many of them wont even sell books with facsimile jackets. Dust jackets were originally developed as a protective covering for books with fancy bindings. With the recent discovery of some salient information, today, most of the large. Identifying, and valuing first edition dr seuss books. The very first dust jackets or dust wrappers appeared in 1832 with the sole purpose of protecting books during transport between the printer and the bookstore. With frequent usage and toting about, your favorite books may become dirty, dusty, or even stained. Use of a facsimile jacket or a restored jacket without a detail.
My stack of flower books looks better with flowers on the cover than the brown, green, gray, and blue cloth covers alone. I purchased dust jacket covers for hard cover books and rediroll covers for paperbacks at vernon library supply. From abstract design to detailed illustrations, enjoy these gorgeous vintage dust jackets. Generally, books in good condition are not considered to be collectible grade. Since they dont do anything very useful, a new fashion for going without wrappers is likely to catch on. Remove the book s dust jacket before vacuuming and always turn your book upside down so dust doesnt make its way into the pages. The illustrated dust jacket, 19201970 salisbury, martin on. You can choose a cheaper hardcover without a dust jacket but with any colour image printed on it. Many people strip off these jackets and throw them away. A book club dust jacket without a price may have been clipped to mislead a buyer. If you dont take the jacket off this book, youd never realize that is reversible. I think they look better without the dust jacket when used for that purpose.
I use these books for pictures of my children and they love looking in them but sadly have a tendency to bust up the dust cover. I feel these dust jackets are an important part of our culture. A fine book approaches the condition of as new, but without being crisp. If you come across a book with a very damaged dust jacket, is it better to throw away the dust jacket and list it without or keep it. There is a horrific reason long story behind the shrink wrapping part, but they look new a beautiful on my shelves. During a recent visit to my favorite used book store, the brattle book shop, i stumbled across a book that i thought would make a great gift for a friend of mine, who will soon be moving out to chicago to start work on a ph. This article is the second in a series in which al navis examines the wonderfully confusing, highly addictive world of first edition books. While its best to take antique or overly fragile books to conservationists for cleaning and preservation, you can. Apr 08, 2008 covering hardback books without dust jackets. Moreover, plenty of words name objects without accurately describing that objects function. Look on rarebook sites like, and you will see how much, say, a signed. Dont hate on the dust jacket some people would like to get rid of dust jackets those glossy outer covers of hardcover books. An emphasis on the printed book as an object a beautiful and special. Without their artistic or commercial dust jackets they would look very bland.
Seek advice regarding archival cover for hardcover books without dust jackets. Without their jackets, most books are visually dull. Jun 21, 2014 the more dust jackets and books you handle, the more easily youll be able to identify newer paper versus old, just by touch. By removing the dust jacket whether to read or store the book, youre removing the purpose and personality and collectibility of the jacket, most of which has been stated above.
Facsimile dust jackets llc is the sole funding for mark terrys dust jacket archive project. I have maybe 5060 books that are without a dust jacket and i am at a loss over what to do with them. I slipped each book from its jacket, feeling more energized each time. A less shiny cover absorbs more small scratches and scuffs without looking beat up. Get the best deals on books with dust jacket when you shop the largest online selection at. Books may contain a remainder mark on an outside edge, but this should be noted in the listing comments. I personally prefer how the books look on the shelf without the dustjacket, especially when you have multiple colors in your. If it is not a classic, i will take it off while reading, then put it back on when read and then shelved. The book looks so much better without one, and theyre so annoying to keep nice. As publishing evolved, the dust jacket became more decorative in nature rather than protective. The conventional wisdom among booksellers is first edition dr. Dust jacket, if applicable, shows signs of some rubbing or chipping.
Once intended to be temporary and disposable protection for beautifully bound books, dust jackets have becomein some waysmore valuable than the books they protect. My experiences printing a small batch of books marcin. The dust jacket is made from paper with two flaps that fit over the front and back covers, wrapping around the spine to encase the entire cover. Im obsessed with how the jacketless books look on the shelf. The dust jacket is made from paper with two flaps that fit over the front and back covers, wrapping around. This same job is done by the paper covers on softbound books. No books all jackets state facsimile dust jackets l. The dust jacket sometimes book jacket, dust wrapper or dust cover of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations this outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back book cove. Aug 18, 2011 why you should read every hardcover with the book jacket off. As most collectors are aware, a dust jacket in fine condition can greatly enhance the value of a book.
593 1011 1099 33 614 498 105 663 961 1451 21 537 321 498 128 578 1029 299 282 66 1343 512 875 208 280 586 13 1277 338 1022 190 750 1358 627 799 1287 105 212 21 1342 1189 820 1197 835