Old Books

The search facility at the bottom of this page links to IBookNet, the Independent Booksellers Network, of which we are members.  If you wish to purchase any book you may use the facility on this site to pay by credit card or to reserve the book.  If you leave a card number we will charge the card and send you the book, otherwise we will contact you for payment.

Condition Ratings

All of the books are rated for condition, both of the book and dust-jacket, if available.  The meanings of the conditions are:

As New:

As new.  The book will be in the state one would expect to find on the shelf of a bookshop selling new books, behind the books already fingered by browsers.

Fine:

Almost as new.  No major blemishes but the book has signs of being previously owned.  The page edges will be clean, the contents sound, no major faults and any minor faults will be specified.

Very Good:

Showing signs of previous ownership.  Corners may be a little bumped and/or the cloth rubbed, page edges may be dusty or browned, there may some writing on the flyleaf (ffep) and in the case of the dustwrapper, rubbing, clipping of price from the flap, short edge tears and/or minor chipping.  Too many of these faults will take the book into the next category.

Good:

Showing major signs of previous ownership.  Likely to have bumped corners and/or spine ends, marked page edges and bear signs of reading on a number of previous occasions with ownership label/inscription etc.  Dustwrapper probably well rubbed, some tears and/or chipping, overall soil.

Poor:

This is a reading or reference copy only.  The text will be complete but illustrations may be missing and the cloth may be very worn marked and/or torn.  It is probable that only the major faults will be mentioned as the minor ones will be too numerous.  The book may even be disbound but if so this will be specifically mentioned.  Any dustwrapper, if present, is likely to be in pieces or with major portions missing.

Plus:

Indicates better than the major category specified without reaching the next category.

Minus:

Indicates worse than the major category specified.  Usually only used with Good so that Good- means that it is not of the expected standard for that category but that it is better than a 'reading copy'.  If of a dustwrapper then it is better than in pieces but not really of a standard that could be called 'Good'.