What is foxing in books and should you care?

If you have spent any time browsing through online secondhand bookshops, you’ve probably come across the word “foxing” in a description. It sounds mysterious and maybe a little alarming and would perhaps put you off a purchase. But before you scroll past it is worth knowing what foxing is, where it comes from and whether it really matters.

SPOILER ALERT: most of the time it matters a lot less then you think.

So what is foxing?

Foxing refers to those brown or reddish-brown spots you sometimes find on the pages of older books. They can appear as tiny pinpricks or may have spread into large patches. They are usually most visible on the page edges, end papers and the first and last few pages of a book. (The name, foxing, is thought to have come from the reddish-brown colour which can resemble the coat of a fox!)

So what causes it?

The exact reason for foxing is still debated. The most widely accepted culprits are fungal growth (which is encouraged by damp storage conditions) and the oxidation of metal impurities in older paper. In reality, it’s probably a combination of both, along with the general passage of time and whatever environment the book has lived through over the decades.

Books that have spent time in damp houses, garden sheds, or unventilated storage tend to fox more than those that have been kept in drier conditions. Older books are particularly prone to it, which is why you will spot foxing far more often in books from the mid-twentieth century and earlier.

Is foxing harmful to the book?

Light foxing, the kind you’ll see on most secondhand books of a certain age, is essentially cosmetic. It doesn’t affect the text, the binding, or your ability to read and enjoy the book. It’s simply the paper showing it’s age.

Heavy or active foxing is a different matter. If the book smells strongly of damp or mould, or if the spotting is very widespread and accompanied by softness or discolouration across many pages, it that can indicate ongoing fungal activity. This is something that could spread to other books stored nearby so in these cases it is worth being more cautious and keeping the book separate from the rest of your collection.

For the vast majority of foxed books, none of this applies. A few brown spots on the end papers of a 1950s hardback is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

Should it put you off buying a book?

That is really up to you and depends on what the book means to you. If you are buying it purely to read and enjoy, light foxing is almost never a reason to walk away. You will probably forget all about it by page 5.

If you are a collector looking for books in the best possible condition, foxing will matter more to you and that is totally understandable. Condition is everything in a serious collection and a first edition with heavy foxing will always be less desirable than a clean copy.

Can foxing be removed?

There are professional treatments that can reduce or remove foxing, but they are expensive, time consuming, and generally only worthwhile for genuinely valuable books. For most secondhand reads, it’s really not worth it.

So what you can do to prevent it from getting worse? Make sure you keep your books away from damp, ensure good airflow on your shelves and avoid storing in lofts, basements or garages if you can. A dry, reasonably ventilated space is the best thing you can give any book collection.

The bottom line

Foxing it one of those things that sounds worse than it usually is. It’s a natural part of how older books age, and for the most part is not a barrier to owning and enjoying a book. Some people even find it adds to the charm, a visible reminder that the book has had a life before it found its way to you.

Secondhand books come with history, a few brown spots are just a part of the story.