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ABA
American Booksellers Association
ABAA
Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America.
Advance Reading Copy
Pre-publication issue used for publicity purposes. Usually published in wrappers that resemble the dust jacket art planned of the first trade edition.
a.e.g.
“all edges gilt” Gilt applied to all three edges of the text block and endpapers.
a.e.m.
“all edges marbled” Marbling applied to all three edges of the text block and endpapers.
association copy
Indicated that the book is signed or inscribed by the author or possibly someone associated with the author. Also a book inscribe to someone of interest (i.e. celebrity).
Backstrip
A strip used by binder to reinforce the back of folded sheets in the binding of the spine.
Bibliography
A list of works on a given subject or by a given author.
Bibliophile
A lover of books.
Binding
The glue, strip of plastic, or other material that holds the pages of a book or booklet together.
Binding Copy
A book whose text block is complete and serviceable but in need of repair.
Boards
The front and back covers of a hardcover book.
Book Club Edition
Editions published by book clubs (i.e.: The Book-of-the-Month Science Fiction Book Club, History Book Club, etc).
Book Jacket
A paper book cover that protects the hardbound binding. Also referred to as the dust jacket or dust wrapper.
Booklet
A small book, often only a few pages long, usually bound in wrappers.
Book Plate
A label bearing the name of the owner and sometimes a coat of arms or personal design. Many have become collectible due to the designer or owner; others actually lower the value of books printed in the last 50 years.
Bookworm
An insect whose larvae eat the binding paste or paper in books. Also a term for a person devoted to books.
Broadside or Broadsheet
Large sheet of paper printed on one side only.
Buckram
A coarse cotton or linen fabric that has been stiffened with starch, gum, or latex. It is used in bookbinding.
Bumped
Refers to the corners of a book that has been damaged by being carelessly banged into something.
Case
The covers enclosing a book, usually made of thick cardboard, or a specially made enclosure for a book.
Cancel (Cancel Leaf)
Newly printed pages pasted into a book to replace pages removed because of errors or defects in printing.
Chapbook
A small booklet of poems, ballads, or stories, originally sold by traveling peddlers
Chipped
Small pieces broken off of a dust jacket or binding.
Circa (abbreviated: c )
Used before a date to indicate that it is approximate or estimated
Clipped Upper
See “Price Clipped”
Closed Tear
A tear with no material missing.
Cloth
Binding material made from cotton, wool, linen or synthetics.
Coated
Indicates something has been applied to the surface of the paper to make it appear glossy.
Cocked
If, when looking down on the head of a book, the corners are not square it is said to be cocked or rolled. Also known as a spine slant.
Colophon
Details of the printer's typography, often found on the last page of a book. Sometimes states the number of copies printed, and in the case of a limited edition, will cite the copy number and may contain the signature of the author, illustrator, or publisher.
Copyright Page
The page that appears on verso of the title page, containing property protection.
Covers
The binding of a book. (i.e. boards, wrappers, cloth, calf, etc.)
Cut Edges
Edges of the text block are straight-cut for a smooth, even finish. Compare with Deckled Edge.
Dampstain
A stain left on a cover or pages that have been exposed to water.
Deckle Edge
Rough, irregular or uncut edges, often found on books printed on hand-made paper and not trimmed by the binder.
Dentelle
A lacelike, tooled pattern applied to the edges of the cover of the inside border of a book bound in leather.
Dog-Eared
Having worn and well-thumbed pages that have been creased or folded over to mark the place reached in reading.
Dummy or Book Dummy
A book-shaped replacement made of a sturdy, light-weight material that takes the place of a volume that has been removed from its place on the shelf.
Dust Jacket or Dust Wrapper
The separate paper covering for a book. While originally intended for protection, these have become an important part of modern books. In many cases the condition of the dust jacket determines the majority of the value of the book.
Edges
The three outer sides of the text block when book is closed: fore edge, top edge or head, and bottom edge or foot.
Edition
All of the copies of a book printed at the same time from the same setting of type.
Endpapers (End Leaf)
Either of two folded sheets of heavy paper having one half pasted to the inside front or back cover of a book and the other half pasted to the base of the first or last page. These pages are an integral part of the binding of a book, holding the text block and case together. The lack of them drastically shortens the value and life of a book.
Endpapers
A range of collectable items that were originally designed to be short-lived (e.g.: advertising, ticket stubs, programs, some booklets and pamphlets, etc.)
Errata
A list of errors and their corrections or additions to the printing, found after book has been printed, usually on separate sheet or slip of paper. The plural of erratum.
Ex-Library
Removed from a public libraries collection. Still shows some library markings.
Extra-Illustrated
Extra illustrations added to the book after publication.
Fair
A term of Condition. A book or dust jacket with much use and wear and multiple problems and/or defects. See the page on Categories of Condition.
Fine
A term of Condition. A book or dust jacket that has no defects but is not as crisp as it was when new. See the page on Categories of Condition.
First Edition
The first published copies of a literary work printed from the same type and distributed at the same time.
First Thus
Not a first edition, but something is new. It may be revised, have a new introduction by the author or someone else, be the first publication in paperback form, or first by another publisher.
Flatsigned
A term used to describe a book where the author has simply signed their name, with no other inscription.
Fly-Leaves
Plain papers at front and rear of book after endpapers.
Foot
The bottom edge of the text block.
Fore Edge
The right edge opposite the spine.
Foxing
The brown or rust age spots resulting form oxidation of impurities in the paper. Depending on the process involved in making the paper some papers may never develop these stains.
Free Endpaper
Front and rear blank pages added by the binder.
Frontispiece
The illustration facing the title page.
Gatherings
See signature.
Gilt Edges
Page edges cut smooth and gilded (covered with a thin layer of gold leaf).
Glassine
A transparent paper treated with a glaze to make it greaseproof and resistant to the passage of air. Used for dust jackets to protect a book.
Good
A term of Condition. A book or dust jacket in average used and worn condition - complete with all its parts. See the page on Categories of Condition.
Grading
Guidelines used to properly describe condition of books. See the page on Categories of Condition.
Gutter
The blank space formed by the inner margins of two facing pages of a book
Hardcover
A book whose case is made of stiff boards, as opposed to wrappers.
Head
Top edge of the text block.
Headband
Band of silk or cotton affixed to signatures when bound for strength or, more often, decoration of the spine.
Hinges
The interior area where the boards meet the spine. See “Joint”.
ILAB
International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
Imprint
Publication data including the name of the publisher, city of publication and year of publication. Usually found at the bottom of the title page but occasionally found in a colophon at the back.
Impression
All the copies of a book printed during one press run. Alternate term for edition.
Inscribed
Signed by the author or someone associated with book, usually for a specific person and including some personalized wording.
IOBA
Independent Online Booksellers Association.
Issue
A distinct set of copies of an edition of a book distinguished from others of that edition by variations in the printed matter. (e.g.: The first issue of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court has an "s"-like ornament between "The" and "King" on page 59.)
Joint
Refers to outer hinge where spine joins the sides of the book. Sometimes referred to as the "gutter".
Juveniles
Books originally or primarily written to be read by or to children or teens. Now usually referred to as Young Adult.
Leaf (Leaves)
Page or pages of a printed work.
Limited Edition
Small number of copies of book published. Books are usually numbered such as "95/300" meaning number 95 of an edition of 300.
Loose
When a book has been read carelessly or too often, and has become loose and sloppy in its binding.
Manuscript
The original pages of an author's work, written in the author's hand or typed.
Marbling
A process of decorating paper, in which the result resembles the veins of stone marble.
Mull
The cloth which reinforces the hinges and is pasted directly to the body of a book and is hidden by the spine.
n.d.
“no date” Used to describe lack of publication date in the imprint.
n.p.
“no place” Used to describe lack of place of publication in the imprint.
Open Tear
A tear which may have some material missing.
Out-Of-Print
A book no longer printed and no longer available from the publisher.
Paperback
A book bound with wrappers; usually a term reserved for mass-market publications.
Plate
A special page containing an illustration or other extra information; often printed on glossy paper.
Points
Peculiarities in a published book whose presence or absence helps to determine edition, issue, or state.
Presentation Copy
A book inscribed by the author to someone else of importance to the author and given as a gift.
Price Clipped
The corner of the inner flap of the dust jacket has been cut off to remove the price.
Printing
Copies of a book created from the same press run, printing plates or set type.
Proof
See uncorrected proof.
Provenance
Proof of authenticity or of past ownership. The source and ownership history of a work of art or literature often important in establishing value.
Quarto
The book size which results when four leaves of the book are created from a standard size sheet of paper. Each leaf is usually printed on each side creating a signature of 8 printed pages in total. In modern common usage, a quarto size book is 10-12" tall. It is often abbreviated as 4to, 4° or 4o.
Reading Crease
A crease down the spine of a book (usually a paperback).
Rebacked
A repair, where the original spine or backstrip has been removed, the spine replaced, and the original glued on top.
Rebound
A repair, where the entire binding has been replaced.
Recased
A repair, where a book is taken apart and put back together using original pages, cloth, and endpapers. Usually done to tighten the sewing or to wash the pages, etc.
Recto
A right-hand page, when a book is open and facing the reader.
Remainder
A new book returned to the publisher as unsold, then re-marketed at a much lower price.
Remainder Mark
A mark signifying that the book was returned to publisher as unsold, and then sold at a much lower price.
Review Copy
A copy of new book sent free-of-charge for purposes of review. Often includes a laid in review slip with publishing information; not necessarily a first edition.
Rubbed
Where color has been worn from portions of the binding or dust jacket.
Shaken
The text block is loose in its binding; no longer tight, but not detached.
Signature
A sheet of paper printed with several pages that, when folded, will become a section of a book.
Signed
Signed with a name only, and no other text included.
Slipcase
A box built to house and protect a book, leaving the spine exposed.
Spine
The vertical back of a book’s cover, usually printed with the title and the name of the author.
State
Variations within an edition, which are made prior to publication; can include:
. alterations due to stop-press insertions, damaged type, etc.
. the addition of errata leaves, advertisements.
. textual changes affecting page lay-out.
. some special-paper copies.
This term applies only in connection with the printed pages, and not variations in bindings. (e.g.: a small number of copies of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls were erroneously printed without the photographer's credit on the back of the dust jacket. The presses were stopped midway through the first run, the credit was added, and the second state of the first edition resulted.)
Sticker Damage
A price sticker has been removed resulting in surface damage to the underlying material.
Sticker Ghost
Sticker has been left on book for some time, and the glue, reacting chemically, has discolored the surface.
Stippled Edge
Color sprayed on a book's external edges.
Sunned
Browning, yellowing, or fading of paper or binding as a result of sun exposure.
Tail
Bottom edge of the text block.
t.e.g.
“top edge gilt”
Text Block
The pages, not including endpapers, containing the content of a book (text, illustrations, etc.) bound together.
Tipped In
To attach (an insert) in a book by gluing along the binding edge
Title Page
The page which gives important information about the book (i.e.: title, author, publisher, date, etc.)
Tooling
The decoration of leather bindings.
Trade Edition
An edition of a book published for distribution to the general public through booksellers.
Trade Paperback
When the cloth-bound trade edition is issued by the same publisher, sometimes simultaneously, but bound in wrappers. Because the same sheets are used, such issues are often quite larger than paperbacks published for mass-market distribution.
Uncorrected Proof
A pre-publication printing intended for editorial use, or occasionally to be sent out for review. Usually issued in plain colored wrappers.
Uncut
Edges which are rough-cut, rather than being neatly trimmed by the binders.
Unopened
When folded edges of the pages of the bound text block remain joined together and have not been sliced open. Unread.
Vanity Press
Publishers and presses that publish books at the author's own expense.
Variant
A copy of a book that varies in some way from the ideal copy. Can refer to binding color, illustrations, etc.
Verso
The left page of an open book, when it is open and facing the reader. The back of a leaf. Also called the reverse.
Very Good
Very light wear to book, and/or jacket; no large tears, or major defects; One of the most often used terms. See the page on Categories of Condition.
w.a.f.
“with all faults” Indicated the listing of the item being offered is lacking careful description of it’s condition. Usually indicates a less than “very good” copy with defects.
Wrappers or Wraps
The printed or unprinted cover of a pamphlet or book bound in paper.
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