Why did old paperback books have a dark pink edges on the sides?

Answer 1

From Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books
A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology:

The edge or edges of a book that have been decorated with water colors or dyes applied to the edge or edges and usually burnished. The colors are generally mixed with thin glue and edge gilding size. The most commonly used colors are red, yellow, green, and blue; brown, black and pink have also been employed. If only one edge is colored, it is usually at the head.
Coloring the edges of books appears to be virtually as old as the codex itself, the earliest known example being purple edges on a 4th century book. Red, ochre, and yellow were often used in the 15th to 17th centuries, while solid red edges sprinkled with yellow were popular in the first half of the 16th century. Colored edges have been common to the present day in miscellaneous binding and from the late 19th century on edition bindings.

Although the coloring of edges appears to be purely for decorative effect, its actual function has always been to protect the edges from dust, dirt, and handling.

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As far as the coloring choice for that kind of book, it is highly possible that these books were mass produced by printers who used this color because it was one of the less expensive colors available.

Answer 2

Old Paperback Books

Answer 3

Comes from old age.

Answer 4

Amazed that I found this question already answered! It's like you read my mind!

Answer 5

from getting older, for the light.

Answer 6

Really not sure about this one

Answer 7

so when you dog-ear a page, it is easier to find