We take a very strict approach to our book definitions. Our descriptions are backed by a full refund policy (including delivery charges) - if you feel your book is not as described simply e-mail us to let us know you are dissatisfied and return the book in its protective packaging within seven days of receipt to receive your refund.
The following table summarises how we grade our books. This is based largely on the internationally accepted table of descriptions as published by the UK's "Books and Magazine Collector" magazine.
| Somer Books - Definition Of Book Conditions |
Mint = The book is perfect with no marks or blemishes whatsoever (very rare!). |
Fine = The book and dust jacket are in excellent condition. However closer examination will show subtle evidence of ownership and storage (e.g. very faint scuffs on the dust jacket where it has rubbed against other books or been carefully handled). There may be a small, neat inscription. The book will appear to be unread. |
Very Good = The book (and dust jacket if present) has been carefully handled but looks almost new. There is very light shelf wear (e.g. slight dust jacket creasing at the edges due to handling), a neat bookplate, inscription or lightly pencilled bookseller's price may also exist. There may be evidence of very light foxing and / or age toning to the paper. This classification may also be applied to older books that are in a significantly "above average" condition for their age. |
Good = The book (and dust jacket if present) is of "average" condition for its age. It is clean and tidy but displays light to moderate board wear, soiling and corner / spine bumping. It displays clear evidence of having been read (possibly including some occasional annotations, inscriptions and bookseller's notations), there may be light to moderate internal foxing, toning and / or soiling - especially to endpapers and adjoining pages. There may be some hinge weakening and / or internal separation but all pages will still be firmly attached. The dust jacket may display light to moderate edge wear and rubbing possibly including some chipping to the edges and fold-ins with minor loss; the jacket may be price clipped. |
Fair = The book (and dust jacket if present) is in a "below average" condition for its age. It is still substantially intact but is obviously heavily read with significant board or jacket wear, bumping and / or soiling. There may be heavy foxing, toning and / or soiling internally (possibly accompanied by significant internal annotations). There may be moderate tearing and / or chipping to the dust jacket, boards or pages with some accompanying loss. The dust jacket may be price clipped. The hinges may have cracked significantly and show signs of imminent page separation, a number of pages may have come loose. |
Poor = The book (and dust jacket if present) is only acceptable as a stop-gap library addition, it is obviously very heavily used and is in a generally distressed condition. There will be significant soiling and wear both externally and internally with significant creasing and possible tearing and separation of boards and / or pages, sections of the book may be loose or even missing. |