How to Tell How Old a Book Is?
Many books can sit on the shelf of a book store for years or even decades before being picked up and purchased. If you have a some secondhand books, you may be wondering how old they are, or when and where they were published. There are a few ways of finding out the age of a used book. Even books with missing pages can be identified and dated if you know where to look for the information.
Instructions
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Check the condition of the pages and cover. If the pages yellow or beige with browning edges, that indicates an older book. Worn-out leather binding also indicates an older book. If the pages are bright white and have the dry texture found in a modern paperback, this indicates the book is only a few years old. Look on the front or back cover for a publishing date or edition number. You can check the edition number and name of the date with the publisher to discover the age of the book.
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Check the copyright material on the inside front pages of the book. This information will be at the bottom of the page, below the title. The information should include the edition number, publishing date, company and location.
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Check the archival listings on Faded Giant for information about your book (see Resources). Faded Giant has an online listing of antique books, including information about the date they were published as well as their market value.
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Resources
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Comments
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Thank you Amy, I will try searching by his Surname once...I have not been able to find this title in any of his book listings.
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I have a book call "The Fatal Legacy" by Fortune Du Boisgobe and there is no date anywhere inside....Can anyone tell me how old this book is or how I can find out.
