Book Collecting Terms
A list of terms we believe every rare book collector should know
Advance Reading Copy (ARC): A copy of a book that is generally bound as a soft cover and is circulated to reviewers and booksellers prior to the actual publication date.
As New, or As New Condition: A book that is in same condition as the day it was published. "Very fine" or "mint" grades of a book usually mean the same thing.
Association Copy: A book that has been signed by an author to a recipient, giving the book more value than that of a signature alone. Examples of this association might be a book signed to a famous personality, a family member, or a close friend.
Autographed: A book or document that has been hand signed by someone, usually the author. But be careful-a seller may use this term even if a Hemingway first edition has been signed by Tom Brokaw.
Back Strip: The spine or the back of a book.
Bastard Title Page: The page in a book just after the front free end page and just before the full title page. The bastard title page usually contains only the title of the book.
Bibliography: A list of titles by a specific author and/or publisher, sometimes printed in the back of a book.
Blind Stamp: An uncolored stamp or embossing on the pages or boards of a book. This is usually used by an owner and is commonly seen on legal documents.
Blurb: A reviewer's comment about a book and/or author.
Boards: The front and rear cover of a book.
Book Plate: A printed label generally affixed to the front paste down or fly leaf of a book by a former owner or library.
Broadside: A large sheet of paper with printing on one side.
Bumped: A bent corner of a book, usually caused by dropping or rough handling in and out of a shelf.
Calf: The most common leather used in the binding process of a book bound in leather.
Caption: An inscription under an illustration.
Chipped: Small flakes or tears to the edges of a dust jacket, pages or spine of a book.
Cocked: If the covers of a book are no longer square when the book is laid flat on its back cover, it is said to be cocked.
Colophon: Publisher information usually located at the rear of a book. This would include the book's title, author, printer, location of printing, date, paper stock, etc.
Copyright Page: The page usually located on the verso, or back, of the title page containing the publisher's information, copyright information, disclaimers and dates.
Cracked: When the front and/or rear hinge of a book is beginning to break, resulting in a loose cover.
Deckled Edge: The rough and irregular edge of hand-made paper.
Dust Jacket: A paper cover protecting a book from dirt and wear. It may also be called a dust wrapper.
Edition: All copies of a book printed from one typeset. An edition may have multiple printings.
Endpapers: The large full-length sheet that attaches to both the inside front and inside boards of the book. Half of the endpaper sheet is the first and last page in a book.
Engraving: An illustration or decoration printed from a wood block or a metal plate.
Ephemera: Items created for reading and subsequent disposal. Examples of ephemera include letters, magazines, newspapers and advertisements.
Errata: Errors or misprints discovered after a book has been printed. These were typically corrected by the publisher by including a slip of paper listing the errors.
Facsimile: An exact copy of something.
First Edition: The first appearance of an author's work in book form.
Fly Leaf: A binder's blank sheet located at the front and rear of a book.
Front Free End Page (FFEP): The first page in a book, which is actually half of the front endpaper.
Frontispiece: A graphic facing the title page of the book, usually an illustration or photograph.
Foxing: Red or brown stains in aged paper due to rusting or iron in the paper or microorganisms enabled by impurities in the paper.
Half Title Page: The leaf located just prior to the title page containing only the title of the book.
Impression: The number of copies of an edition printed from one type setting. One edition may have more than one impression.
Incunabula: A term used to describe books that were published prior to the year 1500, during publishing's infancy.
Jacket Flap: The parts of a dust jacket tucked inside the front and rear endpapers of a book. This keeps the dust jacket on the book.
Laid-In: A paper item that is loose inside a book (usually a book plate or a signed card).
Limited Edition: Any edition limited to a specific number of copies printed.
Marbled: A faux-marble pattern often used for decoration on page edges, gutters and book endpapers.
Paste Down: See Endpapers.
Parchment: Specially dressed sheepskin used for writing.
Pirate Printing: A book published and/or distributed without the permission of the author and/or holder of the rights to the book.
Presentation Copy: A book that is a gift from an author and/or publisher.
Price-Clipped: The price has been cut off the dust jacket, usually done when the book is being gifted to someone.
Proof: A trial print used for proofreading.
Remainder: Publisher's overstock that is subsequently marked in some fashion and sold at a discounted price on the open market.
Review Copy: A copy of a book sent out for review prior to publication.
Rubbed: The covers of the book show some wear, causing dullness to the covers.
Slip Case: A box made to contain a precious volume, open on one side (where the spine of the book is) to enable viewing of the spine.
Started: When an outer hinge is beginning to break. This can also refer to a portion of a book that has come loose and threads are showing.
Tipped-In: A leaf document or slip that is attached in the book using paste or glue.
Title Page: The page after the half title page. The title page generally contains the title of book, the author, the publisher, and occasionally the publication date.
Vellum: Specially treated calfskin used for bindings, writing or printing. Early documents are known for being printed on vellum.
Verso: The back of a page.
Wrap or Wrapper: A paperback book.
