A book may appear pristine until you open it to find a torn hinge, missing plate, or dust jacket that doesn’t fit. If you flip around haphazardly, you may miss those defects. Following a set inspection order provides a framework for each component of the book and allows you to compare several copies without having to rely on memory.
Set the book on a clean, dry surface and don’t open it just yet. Examine the boards, corners, spine, and joints. Look for rubbing, bumps, wear, discoloration, stains, or lifting of the covering. Does the book stand up straight or lean over? All of those tell you something about the way the book was stored and used.
Now open the cover, cradling the text block in one hand. Examine the front and rear hinges and endpapers and any bookplate, inscription, provenance stamp, or bookseller ticket. A torn hinge might be concealed by pastedown or a decorative overlay; a replaced endpaper could mean prior repair. Don’t pull the book completely open in an attempt to see more. The joint may split if it is already weakened.
Now inspect the title page, copyright page, and colophon (if one exists). Record the imprint, publication date, edition statement, and statement of printing, usually listed as a number line. Compare those features to the jacket. You don’t want to assume the jacket came with the book. It might have been added from another copy. Look for differences in pricing, publishers’ names, blurbs, or edition statements.
Following the identifying pages is the text block. Flip through it slowly, looking for foxing, toning, tears, stains, marginalia, loose leaves, and indications that gatherings have become separated. Look especially closely at the beginning and end of the book. If there are supposed to be maps, plates, illustrations, or other inserts, make sure they’re present and in the correct sequence. Verify against the table of contents or a reliable bibliographic description.
The final component is the dust jacket, slipcase, or other protective case. Look for chipping, creases, fading, tape, trimming, or missing portions on the folds, spine, edges, and flaps. A polyester case might preserve the original jacket, but it could also cover up rips and repairs. Only remove it if it’s easy to do so.
Take notes following the same order as your inspection: binding, hinges, endpapers, identifying pages, text block, completeness, and jacket. Keeping your notes in a consistent order makes them easier to understand and allows you to compare later acquisitions quickly. It’s tempting to look at the jacket first, but the part that will influence your decision the most will likely be found only after you’ve examined the book from the outside in.
