Professional standards for dealer catalogs, the fields that matter for sales, and why your description is your reputation.
The Dealer's Dilemma
A collector catalogs for themselves. A dealer catalogs for strangers. This changes everything.
When you catalog your own books, you know what you mean by "good condition." Your future self will understand. But a buyer in another country, looking at your listing on a screen, needs precision. "Good" means nothing without context. "Light foxing to prelims, else clean; original cloth, slightly rubbed at extremities, spine sunned; hinges firm" means everything.
The Essential Fields
Non-Negotiable (every listing needs these)
Title and author — as they appear on the title page. Not shortened, not paraphrased. If the title page says "The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner," that's the title.
Edition and impression — buyers pay for specificity. "First edition, first impression" means something very different from "first edition, third impression." If you don't know, say so. "First edition (impression not stated)" is honest.
Condition — the most scrutinized field in any listing. Use standard grades (Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, etc.) and then describe. The grade is the summary; the description is the evidence.
Price — obviously.
Strongly Recommended
Publication details — publisher, place, year. These identify the specific edition.
Physical description — format, pagination, binding type. Buyers want to know what they're getting physically.
ISBN/identifiers — for modern books, the ISBN nails the edition. For older books, reference numbers (Wing, STC, Brunet, etc.) do the same.
Illustrations — type (woodcut, engraving, photograph), quantity, notable artists.
Provenance — for antiquarian books, provenance can multiply value. Former owner bookplates, inscriptions, association copies.
Condition Descriptions That Sell
Be Honest
The fastest way to lose a customer is to over-grade. "Very Good" is not the same as "Fine." If the book has foxing, say so. If the dust jacket is price-clipped, say so. Buyers expect flaws in old books. They don't expect surprises.
Be Specific
"Some wear" tells the buyer nothing. "Rubbed at corners, light shelf wear to foot of spine, small closed tear (2cm) to top edge of front board" tells them everything. Specificity builds trust.
Be Systematic
Follow a consistent order: binding → text block → dust jacket → extras. Start outside, work in. The buyer should be able to picture the book in their hands.
Template for condition notes:
- Binding: material, condition, decoration
- Spine: label, gilt, sunning, wear
- Boards/covers: rubbing, staining, bumps
- Hinges and joints: firm, cracked, repaired
- Text block: foxing, toning, marginalia, completeness
- Dust jacket: chips, tears, fading, price-clipping
- Extras: slipcase, maps, plates, inserts — all present?
Photography and Image Labeling
A photo doesn't replace a description, but it supports one.
Shelvd's image upload system lets you label every photograph with one of 51 book part types — from "Front cover" to "Frontispiece" to "Damage detail." Labels are grouped by matter (Physical, Front, Body, Back, Illustration, Other), so buyers and insurers know exactly what they're looking at.
At minimum, photograph: front cover, spine, title page, any significant defects, and the dust jacket if present. For higher-value books, add the colophon, provenance evidence, and binding details.
Good lighting, neutral background, no filters. This isn't Instagram; it's evidence.
For the full guide to image uploads, labeling, and what to photograph for different audiences, see Photographing Your Books.
Using Shelvd for Dealer Cataloging
Catalog Entry Generator
Shelvd generates catalog entries in two modes — Trade and ISBD — across thirteen languages. Trade mode follows the conventions of the relevant national trade association (ABA, SLAM, VDA, NVvA, and nine others). ISBD mode follows the formal international standard. Use them as the basis for your listings.
PDF Catalog Sheets
Generate a one-page PDF per book: all metadata, condition, provenance, and identifiers in a clean format. Useful for fair catalogs, email to clients, and insurance documentation.
External Links
Link each book to its marketplace listings (AbeBooks, viaLibri, etc.), auction records (Rare Book Hub), and reference catalogs (ESTC, ISTC). Buyers do their research — make it easy for them.
Export
Export your stock as Excel, CSV, or JSON for uploading to marketplace platforms, sharing with colleagues, or maintaining parallel systems.
Standards Worth Knowing
ILAB standards — The International League of Antiquarian Booksellers has guidelines for description. If you're a member (or aspire to be), follow them.
ABAA condition grades — The standard scale (As New through Poor) that the English-speaking trade relies on. Shelvd uses this scale, and translates it into all thirteen supported languages. See Condition Grading.
National trade associations — ABA (UK), ABAA (US), SLAM (France), VDA (Germany), NVvA (Netherlands), AILA (Spain), ALAFARQ (Portugal), ALAI (Italy), SVAF (Sweden), ABF (Denmark), NABF (Norway), CLAM/BBA (Belgium). Each has its own conventions for format terms, binding vocabulary, and condition descriptions. See Trade Catalogs for the full breakdown.
ISBD — International Standard Bibliographic Description. The formal standard for catalog entries. Shelvd generates these automatically in thirteen languages. See ISBD.
See also: Condition Grading · Trade Catalog Conventions · PDF Catalog Sheets · The ISBD Entry
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