A few dealers in 'rare and out-of-print-books' work only from retail premises and do not produce catalogs or have an Internet presence but the majority do either issue printed catalogs on a fairly regular basis or list their books on Internet sites. Some, indeed, only sell in this way and do not have premises open to the public.

Dealers who produce catalogs or list their book offerings on the Internet tend to employ a sort of shorthand method of describing the books they list. Some years back my own son, who is an avid consumer of books and quite intelligent, commented to me that 'book dealers' catalogs are almost unintelligible.' Since that time I have been strenuously working at changing my own descriptions to make them clearer.

However, book buyers will still find many abbreviations in use by dealers (and even some by me in older entries in my database). To help, I have listed some of these abbreviations with an explanation:

4TO. Usual abbreviation in catalogs for 'quarto' paper. This is the old standard office size in Britain and Australia, now superseded by the slightly larger A4. Sometimes abbreviated as: QTO or Qto. A pretty broad description, dealers often describing various larger books as 'quarto'.

8VO. Abbreviation for 'octavo' paper, i.e. approx. half quarto. This is the usual size of the majority of 'regular' books, give or take a little. Subdivides into other sub-categories - the older small size, e.g. older paperback sf/fantasy and crime novels, and the large size of, say, later Penguins or Paladins. Hardcover books were once generally small but now many are produced in a large octavo size.

A3. Modern international paper size, adopted worldwide. Exactly twice area of A4 (see). All the International sizes bear with relationship to one another.

A4. Modern international paper size, adopted worldwide. Slightly larger than quarto. Exact size: 297mm x 210mm.

Addenda. The plural of addendum, i.e. additional material added to a book (often on a tipped-in slip) to correct mistakes, etc.

American quarto. Paper fractionally larger than Australian quarto.

Appendix. Supplementary material added at the end of a book. Plural: appendixes.

Assoc. Material associated with something.

Association. A book signed by an author, with reference to a person with some connection to the book, e.g. the subject of a biography.

Author signed. The author's signature on title page or flyleaf. Adds somewhat to the value of older books but not necessarily so when it is a modern book signed in quantities in a bookshop! It all depends! More valuable if it is in the form of a personal greeting from the author to a particular recipient.

Belles lettres. Writings of a literary kind.

Bibliography. A listing of books by author and title.

Block. With old-style letterpress printing the illustrations were locked up with the metal typeface in the form of 'blocks' - metal plates attached to wood blocks.

Blurb. Colloquial term describing the publisher's description of the book, printed on the dust-jacket, etc - naturally invariably laudatory!

Book Club. Many books are reissued in (usually) cheaper editions by book clubs under arrangements with the original publishers. Sometimes the quality is not up to the original standards but often is equally good.

Bookplate. A bookplate usually takes the form of a small sheet of paper which is pasted in the front of a book, bearing details as to ownership, etc. Some bookplates are of great interest to collectors, attractively printed and bearing coats of arms and/or the name of some person of note who once owned the book.

cf. Compare.

Chipped. Another term for 'frayed', usually meaning somewhat minor damage, generally referring to the dust-jacket or dust-wrapper.

Circa. Meaning 'about' - term used (sometimes abbreviated to just 'c.') to set an approximate date when the actual date of a book's date is not known, e.g. circa 1880.

Cl. Short for 'cloth' - referring to the binding.

Collated. Brought together. The term is used in reference to checking that all pages in a book are present and intact.

Colophon. A symbol or group of letters, etc, used to identify a publishing house, e.g. the well-known Penguin!

Corrigendum. Term refers to matters needing correction in a published work.

DW, or DJ. Dust-wrapper or dust-jacket, the paper covering, generally illustrated or at least bearing the title, etc. in large print, on a hardcover book. [May also be in lower case: dw or dj.]

Edition. The whole printing of a book, issued at one time from the press. To distinguish further reference is often made to 'First Edition, First Impression'. There may then be a Second Impression, i.e. a second run taken from the same printing plates but at a later time. Collectors of First Editions have particular requirements in this regard.

Elephant Folio. A giant-sized book. The official exact measurements of paper of this size are: 711mm x 584mm.

Endpapers. The (usually) blank papers linking the actual board cover with the book proper. Sometimes maps, decorations or other illustrations are printed on the endpapers.

Engraving. Books produced up into the early part of the 20th century used as a primary means of illustration metal or wood engravings. The fine-line drawings so typical of books from last century are usually engravings. Wood engravings were generally employed locked up with the metal type, e.g. forming part of the page. Steel engravings were printed separately (usually noted by appearing on single sides of sheets inserted or pasted into books, the obverse side being blank).

Ephemera. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as 'a thing of short-lived usefulness'. In practice many items falling into this category are collected and even sought after. They may have been intended for a short life once but have lived long! Examples are: Theatre programs, bills of sale, tram and bus tickets, bookmarks, and so on. Some such items can be quite valuable.

Erratum. Error in printing, plural errata.

Ex-Library. Many books are discarded or sold by public libraries and thus become available to book collectors. Books so designated by dealers may have defects (which should be described) but often are in perfectly good shape apart from some library stamps. Some collectors will not buy ex-library books but often such a book is the only copy available!

Ex-Libris. Phrase usually found on a Bookplate - meaning 'from the library or collection of . . .(name of person).' Not to be confused with Ex-Library.

Expurgate. To remove 'objectionable' material - quite often of a sexual nature - from the text of a book. This was done in former times but rarely so nowadays. Thus some books will be found listed as having the text Unexpurgated, i.e. in its original complete form.

Fine. This term generally means the book is in absolutely top condition, almost new or mint.

First Edition. First editions, especially of works of fiction or books of special historic importance, are much sought after by some collectors. They must, however, be in top condition, with dust-wrappers (where originally supplied). This is an area requiring a whole study in itself. Many books that appear to be 'first editions' are not in reality so. Many authors command little interest; others command great interest. A 'first edition' dated 1890 may be worth $1! Or $1000. It is a very specialized field and the novice can be easily deceived, e.g. a Book Club edition may appear to be a First.

Folio. Abbreviated: Fol. Leaf of paper, especially when not numbered.

Foolscap. Paper almost same width as quarto but longer. Not often used for modern books.

Foxed. This term refers to the small, generally light brown, stains here and there on paper inside books. It also occurs on paper and card used in art works. This is not, as might appear, a result of dampness, but is actually produced by a minute organism attacking the paper. Some papers appear to be more susceptible to such deterioration than others.

Frontispiece. The illustration facing the Title Page of a book, i.e. often some sort of portrait.

Gilt. Gold-leaf applied to edges of books.

HC, sometimes, HB. Hardcover, or hardback, as some people refer to them. Books generally issued with board covers, generally (but not always) covered in cloth and usually with a DUST-WRAPPER.

Impression. An additional printing from the same plates as were used to print the First Edition of a book. Usually now referred to as a Reprint. If changes are made to the text, etc, then the print run becomes a New or Revised Edition.

Imprint. Name and address of publisher and printer, usually found near the front of the book but sometimes at the end.

Index. Detailed list of contents of a book, generally appearing at the end. Some are of limited usefulness, especially those prepared to academic standards!

Inscription. Message and/or signature, usually on the book's flyleaf. Some book collectors dislike this practice, others believe it adds to the book's interest. Large writing is anathema - some inscriptions simply deface the book. The most sought-after inscription is one supplied by the book's author.

Limited Edition. May or may not be a genuine limitation! Usually refers to practice of publisher issuing a book in a small production run, perhaps with higher quality binding than the regular public issue. And at a correspondingly higher price!

Limited Numbered Edition. To further enhance a 'limited edition' book each copy may be numbered. This usually adds to their value for resale - eventually! Maybe!

Line illustrations. Drawings appearing in a book.

Lithograph. Type of process used for illustrations in both old and recent books.

Loose. The pages have come away from the binding material.

Loosely inserted. Refers to odd items of interest, perhaps relevant newspaper clippings, sold with the book.

Marbled. Staining applied to edge of some (usually) expensive books to give the effect of a marble-like appearance. Sometimes also applied to endpapers.

Mint. Another term for a top quality book, virtually new.

Ms. Manuscript (singular).

Mss. Manuscripts (plural), sometimes misused where one is meant!

nd. No date. A surprisingly large number of books are published without being dated. Some older publishers in particular were guilty of this. Older children's books, especially, are often found without dates. Particularly curious was the habit of publishing 'annuals' undated. One would have thought an annual, especially, would be assigned a year!

New Edition. Usually refers to a book that has undergone fairly extensive revisions and/or has been enlarged since the original.

Omnibus volume. A volume comprising several books originally published singly, now bound or joined together.

Or.cl. or Or.cloth. Original cloth, referring to the cloth material or similar pasted over the boards forming the book cover. In other words, the book has not been rebound, a matter of some interest to buyers of expensive books.

Paperback. Usually light card, in fact! Sometimes known as Softback. More usually referred to as a paperback.

PB. Abbreviation for paperback, or paper-covered book.

Plates. Usually refers to the glossy photos or other illustrations printed on better-quality paper and bound with the book proper.

Printed boards. Some books do not have a dust-wrapper but instead illustrations and/or decorations and fancy type are printed onto the actual board.

Raised boards. Raised refers to the 'embossed' effect of printing.

Re-bound. Sometimes older books that are considered to be valuable are given a new binding to replace a poor one.

Recased. Re-bound. The inner part of the book has been given a new binding as the old was, apparently, in a bad state.

Recto. The front of the leaf and right-hand side of the book.

Remainders. Term used to describe books sold off cheaply by publishers - overstocks, etc. These usually circulate through special wholesale and retail outlets and end up in the secondhand book trade. Curiously some very fine volumes will be found among such 'remainders' and in fact this compiler regrets not having bought up more copies of some titles that passed through his hands!

Revised Edition. A new printing of a book with changes or additions to the original. The revision may be limited or extensive.

Royalties. Percentage of the sale price of a book paid to the author. Varies widely according to the standing of the author and arrangements regarding advances, etc.

Signature. A number or letter printed on a sheet of printed material forming a book - used by the printer and/or bookbinder to get the pages into correct order.

Softcover. Another term for Paperback.

Spine. The piece of card to which the two covers are attached.

Steel engraving. See under Engraving.

T.E.G./t.e.g. Top Edge Gilt. Some books have gilding on the top edge of the paper, to enhance their appearance.

Tissue-guards. In better-quality older books and occasionally in modern ones, tissue was or is bound into the book to protect each plate.

Tipped-in. Refers to a loose photographic reproduction or drawing, attached to a page with a small line of adhesive at the top or side. Usually a ruled box is provided on the page for the tipped-in illustration.

Title page. The main front page of the book, with all the essential details as to title, author, and publisher, and sometimes the date of publication.

Uncut. Refers to some old books where the pages had not been trimmed before the book was sold.

Unexpurgated. Some books in times past have had sections of their text removed, being considered objectionable, usually, but not always, material dealing with sex. These may then be reissued at a later date (and in more enlightened times!) with the original text restored, described as 'Unexpurgated'.

Unopened. Means what it says! Possible an UNCUT book not yet opened, thus with page edges intact.

Verso. Left-hand page of an opened book, or back (other) side of a page.

Vign. Short for 'vignette' or ornament.

Wood engraving. See further under Engraving.

Wrappered Edition. See notes under Wraps.

Wraps. Term used by some dealers to refer to what are generally known as Paperbacks. Perhaps it is connected with the paper wrappers, i.e. dust-jackets, used on hardcover books. Who knows? I've often wondered why it is used. Maybe someone has a better explanation. Always seems a rather silly terminology to me!

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This material may be reproduced freely by anyone anywhere provided the following is attached to it (together with this statement): © Mark Owen, 2006 (http://www.felicity.com.au)