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A collection of terms and
facts some of
which came to me through inspiration
and reflection, but most of which are gleaned from books on books
I have read
and dealers, and often clients, who read the books on books that
all dealers
ought to read. Some of the definitions may not be agreed to by
all, and I am
also sure that some of my opinions will be disputed, still, I
put this out
there for those who are interested.
1. Book: A
device for the storage
and retrieval of information. All the
devices from ICBM's to corkscrews can be made at varying levels
of quality,
craft, precison and so can books.
2. Book Sizes:
I have never seen
anyone use all of these sizes in a description or
a catalog, however here it is, amuse yourself!
8vo
| Pott 8vo | 6 1/8" x 3 7/8" |
| Fcap 8vo | 6 3/4" x 4 1/4" |
| Crown 8vo | 7 1/2" x 5" |
| Demy 8vo | 8 3/4" x 5 5/8" |
| Post 8vo | 8" x 5 3/8" |
| Med. 8vo | 9 1/2" x 6" |
| Royal 8vo | 10" x 6 1/4" |
| Imp. 8vo | 11" x 7 1/2" |
4to
| Pott 4to | 7 3/4" x 6 1/8" |
| Fcap 4to | 8 1/2 " x 6 3/4" |
| Crown 4to | 10" x 7 1/2" |
| 4to | 11 1/4" x 8 3/4" |
| 4to | 12 " x 9 1/2" |
| Royal 4to | 12 1/2" x 10" |
| Imp. 4to | 15" x 11" |
Folio
| Pott Folio | 12 1/4" x 7 3/4" |
| Fcap Folio | 13 1/2" x 8 1/2" |
| Crown Folio | 15" x 10" |
| Folio | 17 1/2" x 11 1/4" |
| Folio | 19" x 12" |
| Royal Folio | 20" x 12 1/2" |
| Imp. Folio | 22" x 15" |
In the eary 20th century Frank Keller Walter, a codifier among
codifiers, published a
book on abbreviations used in cataloging and describing books,
at all times in our cataloging we will adhere to his formats.
Here they are A to Z.
ENGLISH ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMS.
*A. D. Autograph document.
A. D. S. Autograph document signed.
A. L. Autograph letter.
A. L. S. Autograph letter signed.
A. N. S. Autograph note signed.
a. v. Authorized version.
abbr. Abbreviation(s).
abr. Abridged.
acct. Account.
add. Additional, addition(s).
adv. Advance. (e.g., adv. no.) advance number.
adv. Advertised, advertisement(s).
aft., aftw. Afterwards.
anal. Analysis, analytical.
annot. Annotations, annotated, annotator.
anon. Anonymous.
app. Appendix.
apprec. Appreciation.
apx. Appendix.
arr. Arranged.
asm. Assembly. (e.g., asm. doc., assembly document.)
auth. Author, authorized.
o The presence of a seal is frequently indicated by *
b. Born.
B. C. Before Christ.
b. l. Black letter.
bas. (baz.). Basil (bazil), red sheep, roan.
bd. Bound.
bdg. Binding.
bds. Boards.
bibl., bibliog. Bibliography.
bister (bistre). A dark brown color. " Sepia tone."
biog. Biography, biographic, biographical.
bk. Book.
bnd. Bound.
bxd. Boxed, i.e., in a box.
c. Circa, about.
c. Copyright.
c. o. s. Condemned or suppressed.
c. p. China paper. (India paper.)
ca. Circa.
cancels. Leaves replaced by corrected extra leaves.
cent. Century.
cf. Calf.
cf. Confer (compare).
cf. ext. Calf extra.
chap. Chapter(s).
Chr. Christian.
chron. Chronological.
circuit edges. Edges of cover turned over edges of
book
as in " Teachers' bibles."
cl., clo. Cloth.
cl. bds. Cloth boards, i.e., boards covered with
cloth.
col. Collector.
col., cold. Colored.
col. Column(s).
coll. Collected, collection(s).
com. Committee, commerce, commercial.
comment, commt. Commentator.
comp. Compiled, compiler(s).
comp. Complete.
conc. Concerning.
cong. Congress, congressional.
cont. Containing, contents, continued.
cont. Contemporary. (e.g., eont. cl., contemporary
cloth.)
contin. Continuing.
cop. Copy, copyright.
cor., corr. Corrected, corrections.
cp. Compare.
Cr. Crown (English coin).
cr. 8o, cr. O., cr. 8vo. Crown octavo.
crit. Critical.
Crown octavo. About 5 by 71/2 in.;-4to, 7 1/2 by 1O
in.
crwn. Crown.
cyc. Cyclopedia.
d. Died.
d. e. Deckle edges.
D. Duodecimo. I2mo. (17 1/2 to 20 cm.)
D. S. Document signed.
Dan. Danish.
Demy 8vo. Demy octavo, 5 1/2 by 8 3/4 in.;-4to,
about 8
3/4 by 11 in.
dentelle borders. Lace-like tooling or printing on
borders.
dept. Department.
diagr. (s). Diagram (s).
diss. Dissertation.
divinity calf. Plain dark brown calf binding.
doc. Document.
dom. Domestic.
doublures. Cover linings or ornamental end papers.
e. d. l. Edition de luxe.
e. i. Extra-illustrated.
e. p. c. Editor's presentation copy.
ea.- Each.
ed., edit. Edited, edition, editor.
edn. Edition.
el. fo. Elephant folio. (About I4 by ~3 in.)
elem. Elementary, elements.
emb. Embossed.
encyc. Encyclopedia.
eng.(s). Engraving(s).
Eng. English.
engr. Engraving(s).
enl. Enlarged.
etch. Etching(s), etcher.
ex. Executive. (e.g., ex. doc., executive document.)
ex. Extra. (e.g., mor. ex., morocco extra.)
expl. Explained, explanatory.
Extra illustrated. IIlustrated by means of engravings variant title pages which were not included in the book by the publisher but added later. This original matter may consist of original drawings manuscripts etc. or leaves taken from other books. the added material may be mounted, inlayed or trimmed to conform to the size of the other leaves of the book.
f. Folio (sheet).
F. Folio. (30 cm. and over.)
f. e. p. Fore-edges painted.
F. P. Fine paper.
fac.(s), fac.-sim.(s). facsimile(s).
fcap., fcp. foolscap.
Fe. 48mo. (72 to 10 cm.)
ff. Folios.
fict. Fiction.
fl. Flourished.
flex. Flexible.
fo., fol. Folio.
foolscap octavo. About 4 1/2" by 6 3/4 in.;-quarto,
about 6 3/4 by 8 1/2 in.
fold. Folded, folding.
for. Forel.
forel. (forrel). Heavy rough parchment used on old
books.
foxed. Pages brown spotted.
fr. From.
Fr. French.
front. Frontispiece.
g. Gilt.
g. Guinea(s).
g. e. Gilt edges.
g. g. e. Gilt, with gilt edges.
g. h. Gilt head (gilt top).
g. l. Gothic (black) letter.
g. m. e. Gilt marbled edges.
g. t. Gilt top.
g. t. e. Gilt top edge.
Ger., Germ. German.
gloss. Glossary.
glt. Gilt.
gn. Guinea(s).
gr. Group(s). (Of portraits.)
Gr. Greek.
Grangerized. See Extra Illustrated.
"Grangerized"
is a term taken from the vogue begun by the publication of James
Grangers "Biographical History of England" in 1769 in
which Granger had blank leaves included so that the owner could
insert desired illustrations.
gs. Guineas.
gt. Gilt.
gt. Great. (e.g., gt. f., great folio.)
gu. Guinea. .
h. m. p., h. p. Handmade paper.
h. c. Half calf.
hdbk. Handbook.
hf. Half. (e.g., hf. cf., half calf; hf. cl., half
cloth;
hf. mor. ex., half morocco extra.)
hist. Historical, history.
hm. Half morocco.
i. J. p. Imperial Japanese paper.
I. p. India paper.
I. p. p. India paper proofs.
il. Illustrated, illustration(s), illustrator(s).
illum. Illuminated.
illus. See il.
imp. Imperfect, imperial, imported.
imp. Imported.
imp. fol. Imperial folio.
Imperial octavo. About I I by 7 2 in.;-quarto, about
I
5 by I I in.
impr. Improved.
incl. Including.
incr. Increased.
int. Interleaved.
introd. Introduction, introductory.
Ital. Italian.
Ital. Italics.
J. p. Japan paper.
J. p. p. Japan paper proofs.
J. v. Japanese vellum.
J. v. p. Japanese vellum proofs.
jt. Joint.
juv. Juvenile.
l. Large.
l. Leaf.
l. g. Gothic letter (litter~e gothicEe).
l. p. Large paper.
l. p. p. Large paper proofs.
l. s. Letter signed.
l. t. p. Large thick paper.
l. v. p. Large vellum paper.
l. W. p. Large Whatman paper.
lang. Language.
Lat. Latin.
law calf, law sheep. Plain uncolored leather (calf
or sheep).
lea. Leather.
leather velvet. Ooze leather.
lev. Levant.
lex. 8vo. Lexicon octavo.
If. Lettering faded.
lg. Large.
lib. Library.
lit. Literary, literature.
ll. Leaves.
m. e. Marbled edges.
m. o. p. Manuscript on paper.
m. o. v. Manuscript on vellum.
med. Medical, medicine.
medium 8vo. About 9 1/2" by 6 in.; - 4to, about I2
by 9 1/2" in
mem. Memoir.
misc. Miscellaneous.
-mo. Size mark. (e.g., 12mo. (duodecimo), etc.)
mo. Month, monthly.
mor. Morocco.
mor. ext. Morocco extra.
ms.(s). Manuscript(s).
musl. Muslin.
mut. Mutilated.
n. Net.
n. New.
n. d. No date.
n. ed. New edition.
n. p. No place (of publication).
n. s. New series.
n. u. Name unknown.
nar. Narrow.
nat. National.
no. Number.
O. Octavo. (~o to ~5 cm.)
o. p. Out of print.
O. v. On vellum.
Ob., obl. Oblong. (e.g., obl. 8vo, oblong octavo.)
orig. Original.
P. p. Page(S).
p. Paper.
p. 8vo.,
p. 8o,
p. O. Post octavo.
p. l. Preliminary leaf or leaves.
p. o. a. s. Printed on asses' skin (shagreen).
p. o. f. Painted on fore-edge.
p. o. r. p. Printed on rice paper.
p. o. s. Printed on silk or satin.
p. p. Proof plates.
pa. Paper.
pam. Pamphlet.
pap. Paper.
parch. Parchment.
pb. Published.
phot. Photograph(s), photogravure(s).
pict. Pictorial.
pl. Plate(s).
pl. pap. Plate paper.
plts. Plates.
pm. Pamphlet(s).
pol. Polished.
pop. ed. Popular edition.
por., port.(s). Portrait(s).
post octavo. About 5 by 8 in.;-quarto, about 8 by IO
in.
Pott (pot) 8vo. About 4 by 64 in.;-4to, about 61- by
8
in.
pref. Preface, prefixed.
pp. Pages.
pph. Pamphlet.
prel. 11. Preliminary leaves.
preprint. Advance copy or print.
pres. Presentation.
priv. pr. Privately printed.
ps., pseud. Pseudonym, pseudonymous.
pt. (s). Part (s) .
pub. Published, publisher.
pubd. Published.
publ. Published, publisher, publication.
Q. Quarto (~5 to 30 cm.).
q. v. Quod vide (which see).
r. e. Red edges.
R. e. Royal edition.
r. f. Rough finish (paper).
R. O., r. 8vo. Royal octavo.
rec. Record.
rect., ro., Recto (right-hand page). Front of
printed leaf.
red. Reduced.
rep. Report(s), reporter(s).
rev. Revised, revision.
rn. Roan.
ro. Roan.
Rom. Roman.
Roxb. Roxburghe binding.
roy. 8vo. Royal octavo. About 6` by IO in.;- 4to,
about
10 by 12 1/2 in.
Rus., Russ. Russia.
Rxb., Rxbgh. Roxburghe binding.
S. I6mo. (15 to 17 1/2 cm.).
s. Series.
s. a. Sine anno (without date of publication).
s. a., l., et n. Sine anno, loco, et nomine (without
date,
place, and name of printer).
s. d. Sans date (without date).
s. e. Special edition.
s. l. Sine loco (without place of publication).
s. n. Sine nomine (without name of printer).
s. p. Small paper.
s. v. Sub voce or verbo (under the word or title).
Sc. He (or she) engraved it.
Sci. Science, scientific.
sd. Sewed.
sel. Selected, selection(s).
sen. Senate.
sep. Separate.
seq. Sequentes, sequentia. (The following; the next.)
ser. Series.
sess. Session.
Sf. 64mo. (Sexagesimo-quarto. Up to 72 cm.)
Sh. Sheep.
Sh. Shelfworn.
Shp. Sheep.
Sig. Signature.
sm. 4o or 4to or Q. Small quarto.
soc. Society.
spr. Sprinkled.
sq. Square.
st. Stitched.
subs. Subscription.
sup. ex. Super-extra, " de luxe."
superroyal 8vo. About 64 by IO- in.;-4to, about I O2
by
13 2 in.
swd. Sewed.
Swed. Swedish.
t. Type (i.e., size of printed part of
page).
T. 24mo. (I2 to I5 cm.)
tabby. Watered (moire) silk.
t. e.g. Top edge gilt.
t. p. Thick paper.
t. p. Title page.
t. p. m. Title page mutilated.
t. p. w. Title page wanting.
tab. Table(s).
tall copy. Copy on large paper.
temp. Temporary.
theol. Theological, theology.
thk. Thick.
tr., trans. Translated, translation(s),
translator(s).
Tt. 32mo. (IO to I2 1/2 cm.)
typog. Typographical, typography.
unb., unbd. Unbound.
unc., unct. Uncut. (Pages not trimmed in rebinding.)
und. Undated.
unopened. Folds of leaves not opened.
unp. Unpaged.
v. Volume(s).
v. d. Various dates.
v. y. Various years.
vel., vell. Vellum.
vers. Verso (left-hand page), back of printed page.
vig. t. Vignette title.
vign. Vignette(s).
vo. Verso.
vocab. Vocabulary.
vol.(s). Volume(s).
w. Wanting.
w. Waterstained.
w. With.
w. a. f. With all faults.
W. p. Whatman paper.
wkly. Weekly.
wormed. Worm-eaten.
wraps. Wrappers.
xylog. Xylographic. Engraved on wood. Relating to " block books."
y. b., yr. bk. Year book.
yapp. Binding with flexible "circuit edges."
yrly. Yearly.
For more information on books and bookbinding please refer to these informative web sites:
http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/book
palimpsest.stanford.edu/don/don.html
http://www.aboutbookbinding.com/
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