Glossary of Book Terms

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Book Sizes

 

4to or quarto--A book that is up to 12" tall.

8vo or octavo--A book that is up to 9" tall.

 

12mo or duodecimo--A book that is up to 7" tall.

16mo or sextodecimo--A book that is up to 6" tall.

24mo--A book that is up to 5" tall.

 

32mo--A book that is up to 5" tall.

48mo--A book that is up to 4" tall.

64mo--A book that is up to 3" tall.

Folio--A book that is up to 15" tall.

Elephant Folio--A book that is up to 23" tall.

 

Atlas Folio--A book that is up to 25" tall.

Double Elephant Folio--A book that is up to 50" tall.

 

Descriptions of Condition

 

Books are generally divided in two parts when describing condition: the first part is the condition of the book and the second is the condition of the dust jacket. They are usually described in the following manner:

 

Vg/Vg, Fine/Vg, F/F, Vg/, etc.--If the second part of the description is missing, as in Vg/--, it means that the dust jacket is not present. There are no rules and every dealer uses their own description method. Thus, you will often see G+/Vg to describe a book with defects to the binding or the interior, but with a very good dust jacket. Occasionally you will come across nVg which means ‘near very good’. F/F means a fine copy in a fine dust jacket.

 

Poor--Sometimes known as a reading copy. A book in rough condition; perhaps with broken or loose hinges, or very stained or water damaged. The text, however, should be intact, without missing pages apart from the endpapers, which are often missing in a copy rated as ‘poor’.

 

Fair--Slightly better than ‘poor’ and really just a matter of degree in terms of general condition.

 

Good (G)--An average worn book, perhaps with rubbing or short tears at the extremities such as the corners and spine ends.

 

Very Good (Vg)--A book showing only faint signs of wear, and without any noticeable tears.

 

Fine (F)--Almost ‘as new’, without tears or even moderate soiling, and without any noticeable defects.

 

As New--Is the condition the book was in when it came off the presses or when it was purchased from a new bookstore. The dust jacket must be present if the book was issued with one, and the jacket must also be free of any defects, including scuff marks or any other marks. See also as issued.

 

General Glossary of Book Terms

 

coads, advts, etc.--Advertisements bound into the book, and usually found at the end.

 

addendum (plural); addenda--A supplement to a book, usually in the form of a slip of paper tipped or pasted into the book during the binding stage. Compare with errata slip and imprint.

 

advance copy--Also known as a review copy, since they are sent to reviewers as complimentary, advance copies. Advance copies are more often than not paper bound books, and often with the publisher’s review slip laid in.

 

all edges gilt (aeg)--All the exposed page edges--top, fore-edge and foot--are coloured in gold. See also gilt edges

 

americana--Books and other objects having to do with America, its people and their history.

 

annotated--The inclusion of critical and explanatory notes.

 

antiquarian--A collector of old, rare, out-of-print books.

 

apocryphal--A work of doubtful authorship or authenticity.

 

as issued--In the same new condition as when it was published. See also mint.

 

association copy--A copy that makes reference (as in a signature or bookplate) to either the author or someone known to the author.

 

autographed manuscript--A handwritten manuscript by the author.

 

backstrip--The strip that covers the spine of the book; also called the backstrap, or backbone.

 

bar code--The common term for UPC (Universal Product Code). Bar codes are often found at the back of library and ex-library books.

 

bc; bce--See book club editions.

 

belles lettres--Literature of the fine arts (poetry, drama & other fiction), as distinguished from non-fiction works, such as scientific or technical writing.

 

biblio--From the Greek; pertaining to books.

biblioclast--One who destroys books.

bibliognost--One who has a deep knowledge of books.

biblioklept--One who steals books.

bibliomane/bibliomania--An exaggerated liking for acquiring and owning books.

bibliophile--One who loves books.

bibliophobe--One who fears books.

bibliopole--A rare book dealer.

 

binding--The method of building the spine that holds the pages and covers of a book together.

 

binding copy--A book that is in need of rebinding.

 

blind-stamping--Impressed marks, lettering or decorations, often found on the binding, but also often found at the endpapers in the form of an owner’s seal or stamp.

 

block--The entire book except for the covers.

 

block books--Books printed from woodblocks in the 15th century, in Germany and the Netherlands.

 

blurb--Comments about the book--almost always in the form of praise, found on the inner flaps or back of the dustjacket.

 

boards--The stiff, cardboard-like binding material used in most hardcover books today.

 

bomc--Book-of-the-Month-Club.

 

book club edition:--Book Club Editions, smaller than standard editions, often using cheaper inks and binding materials, and printed for book club members only.

 

book label--A small ownership label pasted into the book, usually found on the front endpapers. See also bookplate (following) and ex-libris.

 

bookplate--A larger ownership piece of paper, also pasted in, and larger than a book label.

 

bound--A book with any type of cover. Compare disbound and misbound.

 

bound galley--An uncorrected page or galley proof sent out by a publisher before publication for the general market.

 

breaker--Someone who disassembles books, usually to sell individual plates when the book is in very bad condition or is already missing some leaves or plates.

 

broadsheet--A large sheet of paper printed on one side. Also called a broadside.

 

b/w--Illustrated in black and white.

 

case-bound--A hardcover book, as opposed to a paperback book.

 

chipped--In reference to the dust jacket of a hardcover book or the edges of a paper bound book that is missing small or large pieces, as for example in ‘heavily chipped’.

 

cloth--A book with cloth, such as linen or another textile, used for the spine and covers. Compare with half cloth and quarter leather.

 

cocked--Refers to a spine of a book that is no longer square or true, resulting in misalignment of the fore-edges of the covers. Compare with stacked.

 

codex--A volume of ancient manuscript.

 

colophon--Refers to either a publisher’s trademark or information concerning the book’s publication printed at the end of a book. Compare with title page and imprint.

 

covers--The front and back boards or panels, but sometimes used to describe all the outermost parts of the binding.

 

cuts--Illustrations printed in the text pages, and as distinguished from plates, which are full page illustrations printed separately from the text.

 

cwo--Cheque or cash with order.

 

deaccessioning--Disposing of books from a collection.

 

dec, decor--Decorated. Usually in reference to the binding of a book.

 

deckle edges--Untrimmed page edges which result from the actual mould used for making paper. In books with such page edges, the printing is done on a sheet of paper only large enough for two leaves or four pages (two each of recto and verso pages) with a single fold at the binding!

 

dedication copy--Inscribed and signed by the author to the owner or buyer of the book.

 

definite edition--The most authoritative version of a work. See edition.

 

desiderata--A want list of books.

 

disbound--A book without covers or binding.

 

dj--See dust jacket.

 

dos-a-dos--Two separate books in a single binding. Flip the book over, and you have another cover with a different title.

 

duodecimo--The page size of a book (5" wide x 7 3/4" high), formed by folding a single printer’s sheet into 12 leaves. Compare other Book Sizes

 

dust jacket--The colourful paper wrapping around a book. Also called the dustwrapper. Some say its purpose is to protect the binding of the book; it is also used as a selling feature.

 

dustwrapper--See dust jacket (above).

 

edges--The outermost surfaces of the pages or leaves of a book. See also gilt edges, deckle edges, gauffering, marbled and uncut edges.

 

edition--From the same plates or typesetting. Compare definite edition, facsimile edition, first edition, limited edition, tirage, trade edition and impression

 

elephant folio--A book up to 23" high. Compare other sizes

 

embossing--Usually in reference to printed material, the process that raises decorations above the surface, bringing them into relief.

 

end papers--The sheets of paper that have half of the sheet glued to the inside of each cover and thereby attaches the block of the book to the covers. The glued half is commonly referred to as the pastedown or ‘fixed endpaper’. The other half is not glued but is left free; it is commonly referred to as the free endpaper. See also marbled.

 

ephemera--Printed matter of current and passing interest, and usually short-lived, such as periodicals, handbills, and topical pamphlets.

 

errata slip--Errors in printing or writing as an after-note by the publisher. The errors are noted in a list of corrections printed on a slip of paper appended to a book after it has been published.

 

even folio--Page numbers on the left-hand or verso pages. As numbered pages begin with an odd number (ie. ‘1’) on a right-hand or recto page, the numbering of the reverse sides is always an even number.

 

ex-library--A book that used to belong to a library.

 

ex-libris--A bookplate having a previous owner’s name or stamp.

 

fa--For auction.

 

facsimile edition--An exact reproduction of the original work. Compare with definite edition, ‘first edition’ and ‘first thus’ (following).

 

first edition--Generally used by book collectors and meaning the very first printing of a work. See also ‘first thus’ (following), edition and impression.

 

first thus--The first printing of a new version of a work; not the original first edition, but a later, revised work.

 

fly/flyleaf--Blank pages which often appear at the front or back of a book, and more often found in hardcover books. Compare with endpapers.

 

fore edge--The side edge, opposite the spine.

 

foxed/foxing--Discoloured pages of a book, usually with reddish-brown spots caused by chemical reactions. Compare with waterstained.

 

front free end paper--The one half of the endpaper that is free to turn and not pasted down.

 

frontis/frontispiece--An illustration that faces or immediately precedes the title page of a book or book section.

 

fs--For sale.

 

galleys--A rough unit of measurement, usually 22 inches, and used for type composition. Often referred to as ‘galley proofs’, these long sheets are the first trial runs of type and are printed before the pages are numbered. Compare with proofs.

 

gathering--A collection of sheets folded together for gluing or sewing into the binding.

 

gauffering/goffering--Decorative, deckle edged pages.

 

gilt-edged/gilt edges--Having gilded or smooth, gold edges and abbreviated as ‘ge’. Sometimes the top edge only is gilt (teg); the abbreviation for all edges gilt is aeg.

 

glassine--A nearly transparent, resilient, glazed paper dust wrapper resistant to the passage of air and grease.

 

gutter--White space between facing pages; the inside margins.

 

half cloth--Seldom used anymore, but refers to when the spine only is bound in cloth. The remainder of the binding is paper covered boards. See half leather (following).

 

half leather--The spine and corners are bound in leather. The rest of the binding is cloth or paper. See also quarter leather.

 

half title--The page that usually precedes the title page, and contains only the title of the book, usually in smaller print than the title page, and without the imprint or publisher information.

 

hinge--The flexible joint of the binding of a book which bends when the book is opened.

 

holograph--A document written wholly in the handwriting of the author or the person whose signature it bears.

 

hors texte--French for ‘outside of the ordinary text’ and refers to plates or other illustrations such as fold-out maps without printing on the back sides. A heavier stock of paper is often used for these illustrations.

 

ills/illustrated--Containing illustrations such as photos, maps, diagrams, tables, graphs, etc., usually located in the text, but often in an appendix at the end.

 

i.p./ip--In print.

 

illum/illuminated--Old manuscripts and books decorated with ornamental letters or coloured illustrations.

 

impression--The copies printed for a specific press run, as in ‘10th impression’. See also edition.

 

imprint--The publisher’s and/or printer’s information, usually found at the foot of the title page, and giving the name of the publisher or printer, the place and date of publication and sometimes the impression or edition. See also colophon and compare no date or no place.

 

incunabula--From the ‘cradle’ time of printing--books, pamphlets, etc. printed before the year 1501.

 

index--An alphabetized listing of names, places and subjects included at the end of a printed work that gives for each item the page on which it may be found.

 

india paper--A very thin paper used to reduce the size and weight of lengthy works. For example, the works of Charles Dickens were often printed on India Paper.

 

insc/inscribed/inscription--The dedication of a work, usually by the author, but often by another person that is offering the work as a gift for someone.

 

jacket--See dust jacket.

 

juvenilia--Works, particularly written or artistic works, produced in childhood or youth.

 

laid in--Not sewn or glued into the binding. An information sheet ‘laid in’--as in a publisher’s slip or other information sheet.

 

large print--Printed in large type for the visually challenged.

 

leaf--One of the sheets of paper bound in a volume, each side of which constitutes a page.

 

library binding--A reinforced binding.

 

limited edition--A printing run which is limited to a stated number. Sometimes they are signed by the author or illustrator. See also edition.

 

limp--A binding type that is flexible, such as imitation leather.

 

ltd.--Limited, as in limited edition.

 

made-up copy--A complete book but the parts of which have been assembled from more than one copy.

 

marbled--Paper mottled and streaked with colours and veins in imitation of marble. Endpapers and/or edges of older books are often marbled.

 

mint/mint copy--Without any flaws or perfect, as in the day it was printed.

 

misbound--Pages attached together in the wrong order.

 

modern firsts--Books published in the last 100 years.

 

monograph--A scholarly book, article, or pamphlet on a specific and usually limited subject.

 

morocco/morocco leather--Used in bookbindings--a durable, soft, fine leather of goatskin tanned with sumac, made originally in Morocco.

 

ms--Manuscript.

 

nd--See ‘no date’ (below) and no place.

 

nf--Near fine condition.

 

no date--The publication date does not appear on the imprint page, or anywhere else.

 

nom de plume--literally ‘pen name’, the pseudonym an author uses.

 

no place--The place of publication does not appear anywhere in the work.

 

octavo--The page size (from 5 x 8 inches to 6 x 9 1/2 inches) of a book composed of printer’s sheets folded into eight leaves, originally printed on one side of each sheet. Octavo or 8vo is the most common size for hardcover books today. Compare other Book Sizes

 

offprint--A reproduction or excerpt of a printed article that was originally contained in a larger publication.

 

offset--Usually rare book dealers refer here to the unintentional and faulty transfer of ink not yet dry to a printed sheet or next sheet that is laid over it.

 

op--Out of print.

 

pb--Paperback or paper bound (see below).

 

paperback--Any book with a paper cover, but usually refers now to mass market paperback books that are so popular today.

 

parchment--Animal skin (usually sheep) used for a writing material.

 

paste-down--The half of the endpaper (located at the front and rear of the book) glued to the inner front and back covers of a book.

 

pictorial--A book with a picture on the cover.

 

pirated edition--To print a work without the consent of the author and/or payment of royalties to the copyright holder.

 

plates--A full-page book illustration, often in colour and printed on paper different from that used on the text pages.

 

presentation copy--A copy of a work given by the author to someone known to the author, and usually with a brief inscription by the author.

 

price clipped--The corner of an inner flap of the dust jacket has had the retail price clipped off.

 

private press--A small printing operation usually producing small quantities of fine books.

 

proofs--A trial sheet of printed material that is checked against the original manuscript and on which corrections are made.

 

prospectus--A formal summary of a proposed literary venture, as in the publisher’s announcement of a forthcoming book.

 

provenance--A history of ownership of a given work, often passed down within a particular or extended family.

 

quarter leather--A book with a leather spine only. The rest of the binding may be linen or other material. Compare with half cloth.

 

quarto or 4to--The page size obtained by folding a whole sheet into four leaves (or eight pages), and refers to a book composed of pages in this size or folded in this way. Compare other Book Sizes

 

reading copy--A very worn or rubbed copy suitable for reading but not for displaying or collecting.

 

re-backed--Usually refers to an older book that has been given a new spine and reinforced or mended hinges. See also recased (following).

 

re-cased--A book whose block has been broken loose from its covers and reglued.

 

recto--The right-hand page of a book or front side of a leaf, as opposed to the verso.

 

rem/remainder mark--Usually reduced in price to make room for new stock, the publisher or retailer will mark the bottom edge of the book with a stroke or dot, often made with a felt marker, to distinguish the book from the regular stock.

 

series--A group of volumes with a common theme, as in the Lanny Budd series of Upton Sinclair.

 

sextodecimo--The page size (4 1/2 inches x 6 7/8 inches) pf a book composed of printer’s sheets folded into 16 leaves or 32 pages, or a book composed of pages of this size. Compare other Book Sizes

 

slipcase--An open-ended protective box for a book. Often referred to as a publisher’s box.

 

spine--The backbone of a book.

 

stacked--A condition characterized by a shift in the binding of a book, causing the covers to become misaligned.

 

sunned--Faded by the sun or other source of light.

 

teg--See top edge gilt.

 

tipped-in--A plate, letter, photo, announcement, etc. sewn or glued in to the binding of the book or pamphlet. Compare with laid-in.

 

tirage--From the French, and meaning ‘a printing’ of a limited edition, and usually numbered and dated. See also edition.

 

title page--The location of the real and full title of the work. The title page also contains the author’s or editor’s name, and possibly the illustrator’s name. It also contains information on the the printer or publisher, and the place and date of publication, along with an ISBN number if it is a more recent work. See also half title and colophon.

 

tooling--Decoration of a book’s cover by impression of gold leaf or other material.

 

top edge gilt--The edges at the top of the pages have been painted with gold leaf or are gilt-edged.

 

trade edition--As opposed to a limited signed edition, the normal edition published for regular sale. See also edition.

 

uncut--The edges of the pages are not uniform or smooth, as in ‘top and side edge uncut’. Does not mean the paper sheets were not cut at all, but that they were bound without being retrimmed to neat edges. Compare with deckle edge and unopened (following).

 

unopened--The leaves of the book have been folded but not cut, making it impossible to flip single pages for reading, without first cutting the folds to make individual sheets. See

 

unpag/unpaginated--Having no page numbers.

 

variant--Having features slightly different from the standard impression of the work.

 

vellum--A thin sheet of specially prepared skin of calf, lamb, or kid used for writing or printing, or for the cover.

 

verso--The left-hand page of a book or the reverse side of a leaf as opposed to the recto.

 

vol--Volume.

 

waterstained--Often called dampstained, as in stained or discoloured leaves or binding.

 

widow--A single word or partial line of text.

 

woodcut--A block of wood which is engraved for printing, or the resulting product from its use.

 

wraps/wrappers--Not the dustjacket, but the paper binding or outer covers of a book. These covers are ‘wrapped’ and glued around the block of the book.

 

yapped--Refers to the edges of a book that extend beyond the paper covers of the book. They are fragile and brittle and are seldom seen intact.

 

zinc etching--A photoengraving process which produces black-and-white line drawings.