Home>Book Terms A-B, C-D, E-F, G-L, M-Q, R-Z 

Maquette - Model for a binding or book layout.

Marbled Edges -  Cut edges of a book that have been decorated with a marbled pattern in colors, often to match boards and/or endpapers.

Marbled Paper - Decorative paper made by dipping the paper into a bath of multi-colored paint, leaving swirled marble-like designs on the paint, which are often then manipulated with a comb or other instrument into a variety of patterns. Used today primarily as covers or endpapers in luxurious books issued by fine presse

Mezzotint - A type of intaglio engraving in which the plate is roughened with a tool called a cradle and those areas which are not to take ink are smoothed. This method is capable of producing prints of exceptionally rich tone.

Miniature -A book smaller than 16mo (32mo, 64mo, etc.) Something between a toy and a showpiece. A phenomenon of the 19th Century and before. A format at that time popular for religious and reference works. Their recent resurgence is associated generally with art and poetry.

Mint Copy - A absolutely perfect copy, as perfect as the day it was issued.  A condition describing a book that for all intents and purposes can be considered 'new'. 'As new' is the preferred term.

Misbound - Pages or signatures sewn together in an improper order.

Mis-en-page - The arrangement and designof page elements (type, illustrations and margins).

Modern Firsts - All books which were published in this century.

Monograph - A work, generally short, dealing with a single subject and usually issued in pamphlet form.

Morocco - A type of leather made from goatskins, especially suitable for book bindings because of its durability and beauty.

Mottled - Spotted or speckled because of excessive dampness or mildew.

ms, mss - Manuscript.

N

Nature Printing - A method for printing impressions of great accuracy from botanical specimens by impressing them in a soft lead plate.

nd - See No Date.

nf - Near Fine condition. See condition - Fine.

No, Nos, # - See Number.

No Date - No date of publication mentioned within the book.

No Place - No Place (of publication).

np -See No Place.

NS - Note Signed

Number - An issue of a periodical.

O

Obverse -The right-hand page of a book, more commonly called the recto.

Octavo (8vo) - A book of about 5 inches wide and 8 inches tall to about 6 x 9 inches. Octavo is the most common size for current hardcover books. To make octavo books, each sheet of paper is folded to make eight leaves (sixteen pages).

Offprint  - A separate printing of a section of a larger publication; i.e., a periodical.

Offset - The transfer of ink from one page to another, either as a printed page or an engraving.

Offsetting - When a page of a book bears the print of the page opposite, common with illustrated books without tissue guards.

On Approval - Reputable booksellers often sell antiquarian books "on approval," allowing the purchaser to return a book for a refund within a specified period if the purchaser finds condition to be unacceptable. Thus, "on approval" is simply another version of the familiar phrase "satisfaction guaranteed" used by most mail order vendors. Blackstone & Coke offers its books on approval.

Onlaid - Of a leather binding, a design built up from cut scraps of leather in mosaic manner.

op - Out of Print.

orig  -Original. As in original binding.

Out-of-Print - Books which are no longer printed and which are no longer available from the publisher

Out of Series - Refers to overruns or extra copies of limited editions.

P

Pamphlet - A small separate work issued in paperwraps.

pb, ppr - See paperback.

Paperback - Books in paperwraps published since the 1930's, although it can describe any book with a paper cover.

Paperback Grading- A letter grade system is sometimes used for describing the condition of a paperback:

... "A" grade. Basically an unread book. No book store stamps on the edges, inside the front cover, etc. The book is as close to perfect as possible. These are typically very difficult to find for older books written in the 1980s and near impossible for those in the 1970s and earlier.

... "B" grade. Given to a book that is slightly creased in the spine. Might have name, initials, light stamp in the book.

... "C" grade. This means that there are creases in the spine and maybe on the tips of the cover. Basically, it is a reader's copy only.

Paper Boards - Stiff cardboard covered in paper.

Parchment - The split skin of a sheep or goat specially treated and used like paper for calligraphy and printing.

Parts - The practice of publishing novels in separate monthly installments in magazine format.

Pastedown - The outer endpaper at the front and rear that is pasted to the interior of the cover.

Paste Paper - Paper decorated by manipulating a combination of pigment and gum with combs, stamps, brushes etc.

pc - See price-clipped.

Perfect binding - Used in paperback books, trade paperbacks and magazines that have too many pages to be stapled. The page edges are glued together, then placed in the covers. This is a less expensive process than traditional book binding and stapling.

Pictorial - Describes a book with a picture on the cover.

Pictorial Boards - The outer cover of a hard-bound book that depicts a decorative scene.

Pirated Edition - Any edition of a work issued without permission of the author and without payment of royalties to the author or copyright holder.

Plaquette Binding - An ornate binding (or portion of a binding) decorated from a single plate rather than separate tools.

pl, pls - See Plates.

Plates - Whole-page illustrations printed separately from the text. Illustrations printed in the text pages are called cuts.

Pochoir - A method for coloring prints and illustrations by hand through multiple stencils, capable of very rich and elaborate effects.

Pointillé, Pointille - A type of binding ornamentation using a field of tiny gilt dots.

Points - Distinguishing characteristics, usually errors, that occur within a first edition and indicate the priority of copies.

Poor - Poor describes a book that is sufficiently worn that its only merit is as a Reading Copy because it does have the complete text, which must be legible. Any missing maps or plates should still be noted. This copy may be soiled, scuffed, stained or spotted and may have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc. (AB Bookman).

Portfolio - Unsewn sheets in a simple folder. Often. ornament books were issued in this fashion.

pp - pages

Prefs - See Preface.

Preface - Author's introductory statement.

Presentation Copy - A copy of a book actually given by the author to someone of his acquaintance, usually with an inscription of some sort testifying to this disposition.

Price clipped - The price has been clipped from the corner of the dust jacket.

Printed Cover - Used to describe a dust wrapper or paper cover that is only lettered.

Printing - Another word for impression.

Private Press - A small press, often operated by one person, usually devoted to the production of small quantities of finely printed books.

Privately Printed - This term refers to a book or pamphlet whose printing was paid for by an individual or a group, and which is meant for private circulation, not public sale.

Proofs - Precede the published book. The normal course of events would be galley proof, uncorrected bound proof and advance reading copy bound in paperwraps.

Prospectus - A publisher's announcement of a forthcoming book, set, or periodical, with information about the price, contributors or authors, date of publication, and binding.

Provenance - The history of ownership or possession of a given book.

pub -Publisher or published.

Publication Date - The data a book is formally placed on sale.

Publisher's Cloth - A cloth binding issued by the publisher.

Q

Quarter Binding - Similar to half binding but only the spine is covered in the specified material. The remaining board or cover is usually of a lesser material such as cloth or paper.

Quarto or 4to - An oversized book, approximately 11 to 13 inches tall, beyond 8vo but nearing the size of a folio. Large but still comfortable in the hands. Also refers to a book in which pages are printed "four-up" and the sheet folded twice.

Home>Book Terms A-B, C-D, E-F, G-L, M-Q, R-Z 

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