Nowadays, the book is a very common and accessible thing, but not so long ago, by historical standards, books were very rare and expensive. Old books are of great value today, but often the age of a book and its value (at least material) can be difficult to determine due to the lack of any data in the book itself regarding the time of its creation. There are a number of indirect ways to determine the age of bibliographic value.
Instructions
Step 1
Seal
The first printed books appeared in Europe in the middle of the 15th century thanks to the efforts of the talented German inventor Johann Gutenberg. If the book is printed (and not handwritten), it cannot be younger than 1456. However, if the book is handwritten, this does not mean at all that it appeared before the middle of the 15th century. The first printed books were very rare and expensive, so manual rewriting of books was practiced for many centuries after the invention of printing.
Step 2
Language
In the past, even the currently existing languages in style were significantly different from their today's counterparts. You can determine the approximate age of a book by the style of writing, determining which era corresponded to the norms of the language according to which it was written.
Step 3
Font
The font used to print the bibliographic rarity can tell a lot. By comparing with other books, it is possible to identify for which era a given font was characteristic.
Step 4
Paper structure
At different times, different types of paper were used for printing, by setting the type of which, it is possible to determine the age of the book. For example, books of the 15th-16th centuries are characterized by a fibrous structure, since the paper for them was made by hand.
Step 5
Content
You can determine the approximate age of the book by its content. For example, the names of the current (relative to the author) rulers or other powerful people were often mentioned in the preface in medieval treatises. You can also set the writing time based on the events described in the book. However, there is the following caveat: the book may turn out to be a later reprint, and then the mention of any names and events will not be able to help establish its age.
Step 6
Colour
Some books were printed on colored paper, for example, Jewish ones on dark blue. Based on this, the specialist will be able to determine the time when the book was printed.
Step 7
Printing house
If the book does not indicate the year of printing, this does not mean that the printing house cannot be indicated. Typically, the name of the printing house is indicated on the last sheet. If it is, then you can establish the approximate age of the book by finding out the dates of the existence of the printing house itself.
