Quick Guide
to Regular Dust Jacket Backs
1917-1970
The back of a dust jacket can help you date it. This is particularly useful when the front or inverse don't provide conclusive information.

This quick guide describes the major dust jacket backs used in the series 1917-1974. Anomalies exist, but those listed here are the common ones seen by most collectors. Style numbers are based on the ones in the Toledano Guide. Dates are generally accurate but occasional examples exist of older dust jacket styles used years after you'd expect.

NOTE: An ISBN number at the bottom indicates a post-1970 printing.

Style a     1917 - 1918

a variation 1918

Style b  

b variation 1918

b variation 1919

b variation 1919/21

b variation 1922/25

Style c     1925 - 1929

Style c'     1929 on binding 5

Style d     1929 - 1932

Style e     1933 - 1935

Style f     1936

Style g     1936 - 1944

Style h     1944 - 1953

Style i    1954 - 1963

Style j     1960 - 1963

Style j*     1960 - 1963

Style k    1963 - 1966

Style l    1965 - 1966
Used on first printings of books published in fall 1965 and spring 1966

Style l'        full band at bottom, used in Fall 1965& Spring 1966
with the first printings of titles in binding 11, plus non-firsts of the period

Style l'' used after 1970
(Note ISBN number at bottom)

Style m     1966

Style n     1967 - 1970

Style o     1969 - 1970+ (taller size only)
(ISBN number at bottom indicates post-1970 printing)