Frequently Asked Questions About Condition of Books

Unless the description states otherwise, the answers to the following questions are, in order, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and no:

Does the book have any pages missing?
Does it have water or moisture damage?
Does it have a musty odor?
Does it smell like cigarette smoke?
Is it ex-library?
Does it have underlines or marked passages?
Is it a book club edition?
Is it signed by the author?
Is the dust jacket a reproduction?
Has it ever been in a fire, hurricane, flood, mud slide, train wreck, molasses factory explosion, or other natural or man-made disaster?

How I Grade Items

I try to grade conservatively. I always describe major defects such as cracked hinges, water damage, odors, broken spines, ownership marks, and missing or loose pages. If one of these defects isn’t in the description, then the defect doesn’t exist (for example, if the description doesn’t say that the book smells musty, then the book doesn’t smell musty).

I try to give as much detail as is practical about the defects of an item. However, it's often impractical to describe every single little ding and scuff, so I sometimes use general statements such as "light roughing on the top edge of the dust jacket” or “assorted short edge-tears and small nicks.”

I like to provide a scan or digital photo of each item, no matter what its appearance, so that you have at least a sense of what it looks like. Scanners and cameras have their limitations: The colors aren't always true, and items sometimes appear lighter or darker than they really are. Defects such as light stains and short tears don't always show up. I try to note when there's a serious difference between the image and the actual item. You should ask me if you have doubts about something you see (or don't see) in the picture.

Records: I try to grade records according to the standard Goldmine/Osborne guidelines.

Postcards: I grade postcards according to the generally accepted standards represented in Mashburn. The description will always indicate whether the card has been postally used and whether the stamp has been removed.

Open-reel and other types of tapes: I play the beginning of each side to make sure they're complete. For obvious reasons, it's not practical for me to check for splices or dropouts. I spot-check 8-track audio tapes and VHS video tapes to ensure that they play, but, again for obvious practical reasons, I do not play them through.

Autographs and signatures: I occasionally sell autographs, letters, and signed books. I try to compare signatures with verified examples, but I'm not an authority on autographs, and signed items are sold as found. I don't provide certificates of authenticity. However, if you determine that a signature is not authentic, I will accept a return of the item for a full refund.

If my description and the accompanying pictures don't answer all of your questions about an item's condition, feel free to ask me for more details.