# Okay to cut uncut pages in old books?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-cut-uncut-pages-in-old-books/297003>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-cut-uncut-pages-in-old-books/297003 "2005-03-30T21:36:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-cut-uncut-pages-in-old-books/297003/1 "2005-03-30T21:36:46Z")

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Sometimes I’ll encounter a book (usually an oldish one) with an uncut page or two. (FYI, multiple book pages are printed on a large sheet, then folded into a little bundle called a signature; all the signatures are bound together in sequence, then three of the four sides of the pile are trimmed to cut away the top, bottom and right-side folds. If a fold lands inside the trim edge it stays uncut.)

I just purchased a 100 year-old booklet (24 pages) with several uncut pages, making the booklet difficult (but not impossible) to read.

Is it a big no-no among bibliophiles or book collectors to cut uncut pages? Were books purposely made that way “back in the day,” for customers to cut themselves? If so, would cutting my pages somehow tarnish the booklet’s authenticity?

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-cut-uncut-pages-in-old-books/297003/2 "2005-03-30T22:24:03Z")

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I suspect that some will feel that it lowers the value of the books. Otherwise, I don’t see any problem with it.

I doubt if they “made it that way” – uncut pages are almost c ertainly an artifact of the day when it wasn’t easy to make reliable cut edges.  
My copy of Burton’s co9mplete “Arabian Nights” has _lots_ of uncut pages. I’ve been cutting them as I go along. Otherwise, I can’t read the damned books!

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**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-cut-uncut-pages-in-old-books/297003/3 "2005-03-30T23:06:41Z")

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No, it wasn’t intentional. In fact, it still happens from time to time, although it’s gotten pretty rare.

If you have an extremely valuable collector’s edition of a book, then I wouldn’t mess with it at all. Since you’re reading it and you didn’t mention gloves or special storage vaults, I assume that’s not the case.

If it’s just a typical 100-year-old book–worth at most a couple of hundred dollars–go ahead and (carefully) cut the pages apart. It won’t affect the value at all.

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**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-cut-uncut-pages-in-old-books/297003/4 "2005-03-30T23:23:23Z")

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I worked for several years in a used book store. Generally, making any alteration in the original condition of a ‘collectible’ printed item will reduce its value. If you don’t view this booklet as an investment, cut away. But if you believe it to be of value to collectors, and hope to profit from its sale, it’s best to leave it in its original, uncut form.