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 m:

X
m1
m2
Catch-22Heller 
Goodbye, ColumbusRoth 
Memento Mori/Ballad of Peckham RyeSpark 
 
Morte D'UrbanPowers 
 
PhilosophySartre 
 
Plays of Strindberg Vol I Strindberg 
 
Portrait of a LadyJames H.
  
V.Pynchon 
 
Totals (8 titles)
1
7
2