Maine Antiquarian Booksellers Association

13 Common Antiquarian Terms
bookplate n. A label pasted on the inside cover of a book and bearing the owner's name or other identification.

catchword n. 1. An often repeated word or slogan. Also called "catch phrase." 2. Printing. A word placed at the head of a column of page, as in a dictionary or encyclopedia, to indicate the first or last entry on the page. 3. The first word of a page printed at the bottom of the preceding page.

colophon n. 1. An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts pertaining to its publication. 2. A publisher's emblem or trademark placed usually on the title page of a book.

curiosa pl.n. Books or other writings dealing with unusual, especially pornographic, topics.

editio princeps Latin. First edition.

ex libris Abbr. Latin. From the library of. A phrase used on bookplates before the owner's name.

endpaper n. Also end paper. 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 to form a flyleaf. Also called "end leaf."

folio n. 1. A large sheet of paper, folded once in the middle, making two leaves or four pages of a book or manuscript. 2. A book or manuscript of the largest common size, usually about 15 inches in height, consisting of such folded sheets. 3. A leaf of a book numbered only on the front side. 4. A page number in a book; especially, one assigned to a page during the printing process.

holograph adj. Written wholly in the handwriting of the person whose signature it bears.

incunabulum n., pl. incunabula A book printed from movable type before 1501.

leaf n. One of the sheets of paper bound in a volume, each side of which constitutes a page.

octavo n. 1. The page size (from 5 * 8 inches to 6 * 9½ inches) of a book composed of printer's sheets folded into eight leaves, originally printed on one side of each sheet. 2. A book composed of pages of this size. Also called "eightvo." Also written 8vo, 8º.

quarto n. 1. The page size obtained by folding a whole sheet into four leaves. 2. A book composed of pages of this size or folded in this way. Also written 4vo, 4º.

(From The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)

	Learning and Reference [more here in the near future, please look back]
	13 Common Antiquarian Terms bookplate n. A label pasted on the inside cover of a book and bearing the owner's name or other identification. catchword n. 1. An often repeated word or slogan. Also called "catch phrase." 2. Printing. A word placed at the head of a column of page, as in a dictionary or encyclopedia, to indicate the first or last entry on the page. 3. The first word of a page printed at the bottom of the preceding page. colophon n. 1. An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts pertaining to its publication. 2. A publisher's emblem or trademark placed usually on the title page of a book. curiosa pl.n. Books or other writings dealing with unusual, especially pornographic, topics. editio princeps Latin. First edition. ex libris Abbr. Latin. From the library of. A phrase used on bookplates before the owner's name. endpaper n. Also end paper. 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 to form a flyleaf. Also called "end leaf." folio n. 1. A large sheet of paper, folded once in the middle, making two leaves or four pages of a book or manuscript. 2. A book or manuscript of the largest common size, usually about 15 inches in height, consisting of such folded sheets. 3. A leaf of a book numbered only on the front side. 4. A page number in a book; especially, one assigned to a page during the printing process. holograph adj. Written wholly in the handwriting of the person whose signature it bears. incunabulum n., pl. incunabula A book printed from movable type before 1501. leaf n. One of the sheets of paper bound in a volume, each side of which constitutes a page. octavo n. 1. The page size (from 5 * 8 inches to 6 * 9½ inches) of a book composed of printer's sheets folded into eight leaves, originally printed on one side of each sheet. 2. A book composed of pages of this size. Also called "eightvo." Also written 8vo, 8º. quarto n. 1. The page size obtained by folding a whole sheet into four leaves. 2. A book composed of pages of this size or folded in this way. Also written 4vo, 4º. (From The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)