Every option in Shelvd's Cover Type dropdown, plus the Protective Enclosure dropdown. Use this page when you need to match the form option to the physical thing in your hands.
How To Use This Field
Cover Type describes the outside of the book: the material, how much of the book it covers, and whether the cover is rigid or flexible. It is separate from Binding, which describes how the pages are structurally held together.
Use the most specific option you can honestly identify. If you can see leather but cannot identify calf or morocco, choose Full leather, Half leather, or Quarter leather rather than guessing the skin.
Terms Used In The Options
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Full | One primary material covers the whole binding. |
| Quarter | The primary material covers the spine only. |
| Half | The primary material covers the spine and corners; the sides use another material. |
| Three-quarter | More than half binding: spine plus broad corners or side strips. |
| Limp | Flexible cover, usually without stiff boards. |
| Calf | Smooth calfskin leather, common in earlier leather bindings. |
| Morocco | Grained goatskin leather, often used for finer bindings. |
| Vellum | Prepared animal skin, stiff or limp, cream to translucent. |
| Buckram | Durable coated cloth, common for library and utility bindings. |
| Moire | Watered silk or cloth with a rippled pattern. |
Cover Type Options
| Dropdown option | Group | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Softcover | Softcover / Wrappers | The book has flexible covers and no more specific wrapper term applies. |
| Softcover with dust jacket | Softcover / Wrappers | A softcover book was issued or kept with a removable jacket. |
| Original wrappers | Softcover / Wrappers | The original paper wrappers are present, especially for pamphlets, early paperbacks, or parts. |
| Printed wrappers | Softcover / Wrappers | The paper wrappers carry printed title, author, publisher, or design information. |
| Stiff wrappers | Softcover / Wrappers | The wrappers are heavier or card-like but still not boards. |
| Hardcover | Hardcover | The book has rigid boards and no more specific cover material is known. |
| Hardcover with dust jacket | Hardcover | A hardcover book has a removable dust jacket. |
| Cardboard covers | Hardcover | Plain or exposed cardboard covers are part of the binding. |
| Paper boards | Hardcover | Boards are covered in paper rather than cloth or leather. |
| Library binding | Hardcover | Rebound or issued in a durable institutional/library-style binding. |
| Full leather | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is leather, but the exact leather is unknown. |
| Full calf | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is calfskin. |
| Full vellum | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is vellum over boards. |
| Full morocco | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is morocco goatskin. |
| Full faux leather | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is imitation leather. |
| Full cloth | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is cloth. |
| Full buckram | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is buckram. |
| Full linen | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is linen. |
| Full silk | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is silk. |
| Full canvas | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is canvas. |
| Full moire | Full binding (hardcover) | The whole hardcover binding is moire cloth or silk. |
| Full leather (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are leather throughout. |
| Full calf (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are calfskin throughout. |
| Full vellum (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are limp vellum. |
| Full morocco (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are morocco throughout. |
| Full faux leather (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are imitation leather throughout. |
| Full cloth (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are cloth throughout. |
| Full buckram (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are buckram throughout. |
| Full linen (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are linen throughout. |
| Full silk (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are silk throughout. |
| Full canvas (limp) | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are canvas throughout. |
| Full moire | Full binding (softcover) | Flexible covers are moire cloth or silk. |
| Quarter leather, paper sides | Quarter binding | Leather spine with paper-covered boards. |
| Quarter leather, cloth sides | Quarter binding | Leather spine with cloth-covered boards. |
| Quarter leather, marbled sides | Quarter binding | Leather spine with marbled paper sides. |
| Quarter morocco, paper sides | Quarter binding | Morocco spine with paper-covered boards. |
| Quarter morocco, cloth sides | Quarter binding | Morocco spine with cloth-covered boards. |
| Half leather, paper sides | Half binding | Leather spine and corners with paper sides. |
| Half leather, cloth sides | Half binding | Leather spine and corners with cloth sides. |
| Half leather, marbled sides | Half binding | Leather spine and corners with marbled paper sides. |
| Half morocco, paper sides | Half binding | Morocco spine and corners with paper sides. |
| Half morocco, cloth sides | Half binding | Morocco spine and corners with cloth sides. |
| Three-quarter leather, paper sides | Three-quarter binding | Broad leather spine and corners with paper sides. |
| Three-quarter leather, cloth sides | Three-quarter binding | Broad leather spine and corners with cloth sides. |
| Three-quarter leather, marbled sides | Three-quarter binding | Broad leather spine and corners with marbled paper sides. |
| Three-quarter morocco, paper sides | Three-quarter binding | Broad morocco spine and corners with paper sides. |
| Three-quarter morocco, cloth sides | Three-quarter binding | Broad morocco spine and corners with cloth sides. |
| Limp leather | Limp binding | Flexible leather cover, often without stiff boards. |
| Limp vellum | Limp binding | Flexible vellum cover, common in early and continental bindings. |
Protective Enclosure Options
| Dropdown option | Use when |
|---|---|
| None | There is no separate enclosure. |
| Slipcase (publisher's) | The book has its original publisher-issued slipcase. |
| Slipcase (custom) | A later or collector-made slipcase houses the book. |
| Clamshell box | A hinged preservation box opens flat around the book. |
| Chemise | A wraparound protective cover, often paired with a slipcase. |
| Solander box | A drop-spine box, common for rare books, manuscripts, and large flat material. |
What To Put In Notes
Use the dropdown for the controlled term, then use Condition Notes for details: raised bands, gilt tooling, labels, rubbed corners, split joints, replaced spine, binder's ticket, or uncertainty such as "probably calf."
See also: Binding Types Reference · Bindings and Covers · Cataloging for Dealers