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There are only a few structural parts of a book, but it's important to master the terms used to describe them. In the coming weeks we will feature terms which describe these parts. Even if you don't use these terms in your own descriptions, knowing what they mean will help you understand other seller's descriptions when buying online.
Dust Jacket: A covering, usually made from paper, originally designed to protect the binding of a book, especially those books sold unbound with the intention of being custom bound by the owner (a practice popular in the 19th century), but also, especially in the last 100 years, as a vehicle for promoting the book or supplying supplementary information about it. Dust jackets have evolved into a primary element in the decoration of books, serving a purpose not unlike decorative boards in earlier centuries.
Surprisingly, dust jackets have been in use for centuries but did not gain widespread use until the 1920's. Dust jackets may be alternately plain, printed only, printed and illustrated, or illustrated only. Printing or illustrations occasionally appear on both sides, and some dust jackets fold out into posters, maps, etc. Most fit flush with the edges of the book but occasionally are cut short of this for purposes of protecting the edges of the dust jacket itself.
Books with dust jackets not originally issued with them are said to be married. As in real life, some marriages are better than others. Collectible value may be seriously compromised if the printings of both were not simultaneous, most decidedly in the case of first editions. Values are also reduced if the price of the book has been clipped or otherwise obscured. It's important to note that dust jackets may contain information vital to the identification of first editions. The dust jacket on the Modern Library publication shown in the accompanying photograph, for example, provides evidence of edition state by means of a list of current ML titles available.
The practice of purchasing ex-library books strictly for their dust jackets (which are often cased in protective sleeves) has grown increasingly popular, as has the production of facsimile dust jackets. Since the presence of a dust jacket can, in some cases, increase the value of a book many times over, the sale of original, stand-alone dust jackets has also grown.
SYNONYMS: Dust wrapper, dust cover, book jacket
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