Modern Library Jacket and Binding Subtype Finder

Collectors have long known that book bindings as well as DJ backs can be useful in identifying a date range for a book’s printing. But over the last few years observant collectors have noticed that there are subtypes—minor variations in style and text content—that can more tightly focus in on a date. So far variations in bindings have been uncovered for binding 5 and in dust jacket backs for styles a, b, h, and l through o. (By the way, these discoveries have opened new collecting areas: collecting all DJ back subtype variations for a particular title, collecting titles only with a specific subtype DJ back, and so on.)

Using the pull-down menu, choose the binding or DJ back you’re interested in; then click Update. In the table that appears a dot in a cell below a letter or number identifies the reported subtype. A dot below X indicates a report of a major type without the subtype specified; this usually means the report came in before the subtypes had been discovered. If a row is shaded in blue, it is extremely likely that all instances in existence for that title have been reported. Click a style letter or number for information about that style’s parameters.

If you know of a subtype for a title that doesn’t appear in the list after you click Update, or of a subtype not reported here for a listed title, please let us know.


Select jacket/binding type to display titles with subtypes:  

Displaying subtype information for jacket type b:

X
b1
b2
b3
b4
An Ideal Husband/Woman of No ImportanceWilde  
  
An Unsocial SocialistShaw G.B.  
  
Anatol and Other PlaysSchnitzler  
  
Ancient ManVan Loon
    
Ann VeronicaWells
    
Bed of RosesGeorge W.  
 
BelfrySinclair   
 
Bertha GarlanSchnitzler
    
Book of WonderDunsany
    
CabinIbanez
    
Confessions of a Young ManMoore
    
Crime of Sylvestre BonnardFrance
    
Death of Ivan IlyitchTolstoy
    
Diana of the CrosswaysMeredith    
X
b1
b2
b3
b4
Doll's House/Ghosts/Enemy of the PeopleIbsen
    
Dreamer's Tales & Other StoriesDunsany  
  
Ego And His OwnStirner  
  
Evolution in Modern ThoughtMisc   
 
Flame of LifeD'Annunzio 
   
Genealogy of MoralsNietzsche
    
Green MansionsHudson   
In a Winter CityOuida    
Life of the CaterpillarFabre
    
Love's Coming of AgeCarpenter    
Madame BovaryFlaubert
    
Madame ChrysanthemeLoti
    
Marjorie Fleming's BookFleming    
Men, Women and BoatsCrane
    
X
b1
b2
b3
b4
Mikado and other PlaysGilbert   
 
Miracle of Saint AntonyMaeterlinck
    
Miss Julie and Other PlaysStrindberg
    
Modern Book of CriticismMisc    
PhilosophyJames W.
    
Picture of Dorian GrayWilde   
 
PoemsDavidson
    
PoemsSwinburne
    
PoemsWilde    
Poor WhiteAnderson    
RenaissancePater  
  
Renee MauperinGoncourt
    
RezanovAtherton
    
Selections from the WritingsPaine    
X
b1
b2
b3
b4
Seven That Were HangedAndreyev 
 
SmokeTurgenev
    
South WindDouglas     
Studies in PessimismSchopenhauer
    
Temptation of St. AnthonyFlaubert   
 
ThaisFrance
    
Thus Spake ZarathustraNietzsche   
 
Triumph of DeathD'Annunzio    
Une VieMaupassant    
Wild Duck/ Rosmersholm/League of YouthIbsen
    
Woman QuestionMisc 
   
Woodrow Wilson's AddressesWilson W.
    
Zuleika DobsonBeerbohm     
Totals (55 titles)
26
3
8
7
13