SOME TERMS OFTEN USED IN BOOK DEALERS' CATALOGS TO DESCRIBE USED, OUT OF PRINT AND RARE BOOKS
FINE-As almost new condition.
MINT- As new condition with the "smell of the printing press."
VERY GOOD-Better than good but not quite fine.
GOOD PLUS-Sometimes used to bridge the gap between good and very good.
GOOD-No bad faults, just average with nothing missing, intact and firm.
FAIR- Sometimes used to bridge the gap between good and reading copy.
READING COPY-Just barely present, generally complete but badly battered.
Has nothing to do with thickness, or number of pages, but relates to the size of a closed book when looking it square in the face. The height of a regular proportioned book is sometimes used as a guide line when describing size. The size description of a book originated with the approximate size of that book as compared to the average size of the old English newspaper page. For example a quarto (4to) book would require approximately 4 copies that size to flat out fill the page of an old English newspaper page, octavo (8vo) would require 8 etc. etc.
FOLIO-("foldeo", for memory only) usually 15 inches or so in height, requiring maybe close to 2 to equal the size of an old English newspaper page. Most library atlases are at least folio in size.
QUARTO-(4to). (Requires 4, English newspaper). Around 12 inches in height, the size of a standard encyclopedia.
OCTAVO-(8vo). (Requires 8). Around 9 inches in height, the size of most quality non fiction books, for example Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
DUODECIMO-(12mo). (Requires 12). Around 6-8 inches in height, the size of most cheap printings of hardback fiction, for example cheap pulp printings of Zane Grey books. Most trade paperbacks are in the range of 16mo or so. The size descriptions of course can go on down, 24mo, 36mo etc. etc. or up through Elephant folio, the size of some atlases and significantly the size of the first edition of Audubon's Birds. Some dealers and librarians use intermediate and special size descriptions, for example Royal 8vo, square 12mo, small folio, tall 4to etc. etc. etc.
CLOTH-Most modern books are bound in cloth, which signifies cloth glued to boards (thick pasteboard).
WRAPS-Paperback books and many pamphlets are bound in wraps (thin or thick pages, or very thin pasteboard).
BOARDS-Many old books were bound in boards (pasteboard) covered in paper.
LEATHER-Most leather bound books are thin leather over boards.
COMBINATION-Many books are bound in a combination of the above. For example 3/4 leather/boards, 1/2 tan leather/cloth.
EX-LIBRARY, OR X-LIB. A book which formerly was in a public library, and shows a minimum to maximum of markings. To collectors an x-lib copy is not desirable, whereas ex-personal library markings often do not adversely affect the desirability.
DUST JACKET, OR DJ.-Most modern books are issued with dust jackets. Original clean dust jackets enhance significantly the value of important first editions.
FIRST EDITION, OR 1ST EDITION. First edition usually designates first edition, first printing. Unless you have access to references it is often easier to tell whether a book is NOT a first edition. A good general rule to tell whether a book might be a first edition is to check to see if the date on the title page is the same as the first date on the copyright page. This doesn't always work. Sometimes a later edition of a non-fiction book may be more valuable than the first edition.
PLATE-A full page picture, or pictures, usually on slick paper. For example color plates.
IMPRINT. Strictly speaking an imprint is the place shown on the title page regardless of the date. But the term "imprint" is now most often used to refer to an early printing at a particular place. Formerly the printer and publisher were very often the same. For example items (books, pamphlets, broadsides) with "Memphis, Tennessee, 1850" on the title page is considered a Memphis, Tennessee imprint. In the rare book market an early printing (imprint) very often has value because of the place combined with the date of printing. In a narrow sense a Tennessee imprint is usually considered a book or other item printed (published) in 1850 or before. An England or German imprint would have to be centuries earlier. A valuable Montana imprint could be dated much later than a valuable Tennessee imprint. It very often depends on how early printing was started plus how fast the art took off in a certain location. The art of printing began in Kentucky and Tennessee at approximately the same time but there are many more early Kentucky imprints than early Tennessee imprints.
CIRCA, OR CA.-Approximately, or about. Often used to estimate the approximate year a book was printed or published.
END PAPER, OR END PAPERS, OR E. P. The first two, usually blank, pages you see when a book is opened. Actually, one half of the end paper (s) is pasted to the inside of the front cover and is sometime called the paste down end paper. The other half (page) is called the free end paper.
LAID IN-A loose item, sheet, pages etc. inserted in a book. A friend of mine once found a genuine hand written letter signed by Henry Clay laid in a book I sold him. Poor me, I didn't know it was present.
TITLE PAGE, OR T. P.-The, usually right hand, page with name of the book, author, place printed or published, and the date of printing or publishing.
COPYRIGHT PAGE-The back side of the title page, with the copyright date.
TOP EDGE GILT, OR T. E. G. GILT EDGES, OR G. E.- Actually top edge or all edges gold colored. In the better books a very thin coating of gold is used.
NATIONAL UNION CATALOG, OR N. U. C.-Usually refers to the approximately 750 volume set which lists holdings, or lack of holdings of a particular book by libraries. For example-"NUC lists 4 copies."
DATES- 1875 indicates date is on the title page, (1875) indicates date is on the copyright page. Most first editions have the date on the title page but books with dates on the title page are not necessarily first editions.