A glossary of the rare book

An annotation or addition made in the margin, at the foot of, or following a document already drawn up, in order to comment on, complete, correct, or give instructions regarding it. The term is used particularly for letters, manuscripts, and autograph or administrative documents, and the apostille may be in the hand of the author of the document or of a third party.

Tanned sheepskin, generally soft and smooth, with a faint grain. Less durable and less prized than calf or morocco, it was very widely used for ordinary bindings, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Abbreviation of “carte postale autographe” (autograph postcard): a postcard whose text is entirely written in the hand of its author, but unsigned. A collecting field in its own right, the autograph postcard combines the appeal of the manuscript document with that of the illustrated object.

Abbreviation of « carte postale autographe signée » (autograph postcard signed): a postcard written and signed in the hand of its author. This is the most sought-after form of the writer’s or artist’s postcard: text, signature and image brought together on a single support.

A printed visiting card on which its author has added, in his own hand, a message, a note or a few lines, together with his signature. Often used for a word of courtesy, a recommendation, a note of thanks, an invitation or a brief communication, it constitutes a short form of autograph correspondence.

A binding or hard cover produced on behalf of the publisher and sold together with the work. This form of publisher's binding emerged principally in the 19th century with the rise of industrial publishing, and could be covered in cloth, paper, percaline or other materials, bearing printed, blocked or gilt decoration. The most celebrated publisher's bindings in France remain those produced for the works of Jules Verne by the Hetzel firm.

Leather with a pronounced, regular grain, generally produced in bookbinding from goatskin and particularly widespread in the 19th century. Strong and durable, it was frequently used for both half-bindings and full bindings. Historically, the term also denoted certain grained fish skins.

A thin, silky, and lightly tinted paper made from vegetable fibres, prized for the finesse with which it renders the lines of an engraving or an etching. Publishers readily chose it, in the 19th and 20th centuries, for deluxe editions, alongside Japon or Hollande paper (other types of paper exist, but remain less common).

Leaves or flexible elements protecting the first and last leaf of a paperback work, generally made of printed or plain paper. When these are the ones under which the work was originally published, they are referred to as original wrappers; they may be preserved when the book is subsequently bound. When wrappers are present on an early book, they are then referred to as temporary wrappers, as they were never bound and are thus in their original state - they are extremely rare and desirable.

A binding in which the spine and part of the boards, generally the corners, are covered with a more refined or more durable material, while the remainder of the boards is covered with another material, often paper or cloth.

Binding decoration forming an ornamental border evoking the delicacy of lace, generally composed of the repetition and combination of small gilt tools. Particularly fashionable in the 18th century, the lace border may decorate the boards or, in a narrower form, the turn-ins of a binding.

A binding spine marked by raised bands, historically corresponding to the cords on which the gatherings are sewn. They divide the spine into sections called compartments and may contribute to the decoration of the binding.

A binding spine without raised bands. Its continuous surface may be decorated with fillets, fleurons, gilt title-pieces or gilt ornament, and is distinguished from the raised-band spine divided into compartments.

A protective case or box made to measure to house a book, manuscript or document without being attached to it. The slipcase protects the object in particular from light, dust, rubbing and handling.

A manuscript dedication written by the author on a copy of his work, generally on the half-title or title page, addressed to a named recipient. The inscription is distinct from a simple author's signature: the latter attests only to the writer's hand having touched the copy, whereas the inscription places the copy within a particular relationship with the recipient.

The Anglo-Saxon tradition subdivides what French gathers under a single term. It speaks of presentation copy for the "ordinary" inscription, addressed to a relative, a fellow writer, or a reader; and of association copy when the recipient bears a meaningful relationship to the author or the work: a dedicatee, a model, a mentor, a rival, a figure whose name illuminates the book as much as the book illuminates them. The boundary is not fixed: it depends on what the recipient represents, and must be judged copy by copy.

It is the quality of this relationship, more than the mere presence of an inscription, that gives an inscribed copy its value.

Superficial damage to the leather of a binding, characterised by a loss or abrasion of its outer layer. It may result from rubbing, wear, or tearing, and often appears as a lighter or bared patch.

A mark of ownership affixed in a book to identify its owner. It is usually found on the front pastedown. The ex-libris may be manuscript, printed, or take the form of a pasted-on label, and constitutes an essential element in the study of a copy's provenance. It is sometimes affixed to the binding itself, in which case it is referred to as a supra-libris.

Tools engraved in relief, used by the binder to stamp motifs onto the covering material, either blind or in gold. By extension, the term also denotes the motifs thus produced: fleurons, armorial devices, ciphers, monograms or other ornaments, the identification of which often allows a binding to be dated or its execution to be attributed.

Straight or curved lines blocked in blind or in gilt on a binding using a tool called a fillet. Single, double, bold or multiple, they are used in particular to frame the boards, delimit the panels of the spine or structure a decorative design.

A mark incorporated into the paper during its manufacture at the mould, produced by a design in metal wire fixed to the mesh. Visible by transparency, it may represent a figure, initials, a name or a symbol, and constitutes a valuable clue for identifying, localising or dating an old paper.

Traces of superficial wear caused by repeated contact or rubbing on a binding. They mainly affect the boards, spine, joints, headcaps and corners, and may result in the alteration or partial loss of the covering material.

Leaves placed at the beginning and end of a volume to isolate the text block from its binding and protect it. They may be blank, plain, or decorated, notably with marbled paper. A particular distinction is made between the paste-down, glued to the inside board, and the free endpaper.

A copy printed on paper of a larger format or of a finer quality than that used for the ordinary issue. Generally produced in small numbers, the large-paper copy often belongs to the limited deluxe edition, though the two notions are not strictly synonymous. Copies printed up to the 18th century and described as large-paper are generally what we call, for more recent works, limited deluxe editions.

Laid paper of Dutch manufacture, esteemed since the seventeenth century for its strength and fine grain, made from linen or hemp rag. Publishers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries readily chose it for deluxe editions, alongside Japon or Chine paper (other types of paper exist, but remain less common).

Format in which a printed sheet is folded and arranged to form twelve leaves, or twenty-four pages. Widely used from the 17th to the 19th century, it was particularly favoured for works of a convenient, handy size.

A format obtained by folding a printed sheet once, forming two leaves, or four pages. Often of large dimensions, the folio was particularly used for monumental, scholarly, liturgical or richly illustrated works.

A format in which one printed sheet is folded to form eight leaves, or sixteen pages. Very common throughout the history of the book, the octavo generally corresponds to a volume of intermediate, easily handled dimensions.

Format in which the printed sheet is used whole, without folding, forming a single leaf, that is, two pages. This format, rare for books, is found notably in posters, maps, or very large printed documents.

Format obtained when a printed sheet is folded into four leaves, or eight pages. Generally larger than the octavo, the quarto was frequently used for scholarly, illustrated, or presentation works.

Format obtained when a printed sheet is folded to form sixteen leaves, or thirty-two pages. Generally of small dimensions, the sextodecimo (or sixteenmo) was notably used for portable works and small-format editions.

Traditional Japanese paper made from long vegetable fibres, notably kōzo, gampi or mitsumata. Supple, durable and often silky in appearance, it was especially sought after in the West by publishers, who readily chose it from the 19th century onwards for deluxe editions, alongside Holland or China paper (other types of paper exist, but remain less common). European papers were also produced to imitate its appearance at a lower cost, such as the famous 'Japon impérial'.

A letter written entirely in the hand of its author and bearing his or her signature - as opposed to a signed letter (L.S.), in which only the signature is autograph. The abbreviation P.A.S. (Pièce Autographe Signée, or Autograph Document Signed) is also found, for documents that are not letters in the strict sense. In a catalogue entry, the notation "L.A.S. à Madame de Staël, 3 pp. in-4" thus specifies the exact nature of the document, its recipient, and its format.

Letter entirely, or substantially, written in the hand of its author. It is distinguished from the signed letter, the text of which may have been written by a third party or typewritten, and from the autograph letter signed, whose text and signature are both by the same author.

A letter whose text is not necessarily in the hand of its author, but which bears his autograph signature. It may have been drafted by a secretary, copied, or typed before being signed. The usual abbreviation is: L.S.

Description of the material composition of a book, allowing its structure and completeness to be verified. It takes into account its pagination or foliation, but also, where necessary, the arrangement of its gatherings, their signatures, and any plates or leaves outside the text.

For early printed books, the collation may be expressed as a gathering formula. Thus, “π⁴ A–Z⁸” denotes an unsigned preliminary gathering of four leaves, followed by gatherings signed A to Z, each comprising eight leaves. This notation allows the make-up of the copy to be checked precisely and any lacunae to be identified.

Manuscript text, bound or unbound, wholly or substantially written in the author's own hand. It may be a draft, a fair copy, notes, a fragment, or a preparatory or definitive state of a work. Unlike the autograph letter (signed or unsigned), it is not, by nature, addressed to a correspondent. It may thus refer to several pages of an autograph poem just as much as to a bound autograph manuscript.

Manuscript text, bound or unbound, entirely or substantially written in the author's hand and bearing his or her signature. It may constitute a draft, a fair copy, a working version or a definitive state of a text. Unlike the autograph letter (signed or unsigned), it is not, by nature, intended for a correspondent. It may thus concern several pages of a signed autograph poem just as much as a bound autograph manuscript signed.

The body of notes, comments, signs or marks handwritten in the margins of a book and, more rarely, of a manuscript. Often connected to the reading of a copy, marginalia can shed light on its use, provenance, reception, or the reflections of its owner.

Tanned goat leather, thick, supple and hard-wearing, characterised by a regular and clearly visible grain. Regarded as one of the noblest materials in bookbinding, it lends itself particularly well to gilding and was favoured for luxury bindings and elaborate decoration.

The joint is the area of articulation between the spine and each board of a binding, allowing the volume to open. Being particularly stressed during handling, the joints are prone to rubbing, cracking, or splitting.

A mark left on paper, parchment, or a binding by exposure to water or damp. It generally appears as rings or discoloured areas and may sometimes be accompanied by cockling, mould, or a weakening of the support.

Said of a copy in which certain leaves, still joined by the folds of the gathering, have never been opened with a paper knife. An unopened copy has thus remained, at least in part, in the material state resulting from the folding of the sheets after printing. This is a highly sought-after condition.

Said of a copy whose margins have not been reduced by trimming during binding. The edges of the leaves thus retain their original irregularity and sometimes their deckle edges. It allows one to appreciate the true format of the edition as it originally appeared.

A manuscript, printed or pre-established document bearing the autograph signature of a person, without the body of the text necessarily being in their hand. It may notably be a deed, a certificate, a prescription, a receipt or an administrative document. The usual abbreviation is: D.S.

Indication of the number and sequence of pages or leaves in a work. In our listings, roman numerals generally correspond to the preliminary matter, arabic numerals to the body of the text, while elements placed in parentheses bear no printed numbering.

Thus, "(2) ff., XVIII-238 pp., (9) ff." denotes 2 unnumbered leaves, followed by 18 pages numbered in roman numerals, 238 pages numbered in arabic numerals, then 9 unnumbered leaves. "p." and "pp." denote one or more pages; "f." and "ff.", one or more leaves.

Paper whose mould-made manufacture reveals, when held to the light, a network of fine, closely-spaced parallel lines, the laid lines, crossed at regular intervals by more widely spaced lines, the chain lines. Characteristic of early Western paper, it is notably distinguished from wove paper, which lacks these marks.

A handwritten mark, often abbreviated and stylised, affixed by a person to authenticate, approve or endorse a document. Briefer than a full signature, the paraph may consist of the signatory's initials or constitute a personal graphic mark.

A fine cotton cloth, sized and often glazed, widely used as a covering material in the 19th century, notably for publisher's cased bindings. It may be plain, embossed, stamped, or decorated in gilt.

A binding in which the spine and both boards are entirely covered in the same material, generally leather, vellum, cloth, or paper. Hence the terms full morocco, full calf, or full cloth.

In a papermaking mould, supports arranged perpendicular to the laid lines and designed to hold the metal mesh in place. By extension, the term denotes the more widely spaced lines, perpendicular to the laid lines, which their arrangement causes to appear by transparency in laid paper.

History of the successive owners of a book. Provenance may be attested by signatures, inscriptions, marginalia, manuscript, engraved or pasted-in ex-libris, inserted items such as letters, or by auction records and other historical sources.

A binding decorated with the coat of arms of an owner, generally tooled in gilt on one or both covers. The arms thus serve as a mark of provenance, sometimes making it possible to identify the patron or a former owner of the copy.

Binding covered in vellum, the skin of a calf (traditionally a very young calf, and in the strictest sense a stillborn calf) not tanned but limed and dried, finer and smoother than ordinary parchment. Used as a covering material, vellum may form a limp binding or be applied over pasteboard boards.

Intervention intended to stabilise, repair or restore the legibility or material integrity of a book, binding, manuscript or document. It may concern in particular the paper, the sewing, the joints, the headbands, the corners or the boards, and must be noted whenever it affects the condition or material authenticity of the copy.

Small brownish or rust-coloured spots appearing on paper, usually caused by oxidation and encouraged by humidity and ageing. Their abundance and intensity vary according to the nature and preservation of the paper.

A copy set aside by the publisher for the press, critics, journalists or certain notable figures, in order to promote a work. It may bear a printed notice, a stamp or a slip indicating its purpose, and is generally distributed before or at the time of publication.

Signature made by the hand of its author, as opposed to a printed signature (known as a facsimile), or one reproduced or affixed by a third party. It is generally found on a letter, manuscript, document, inscription or printed copy.

A mark of ownership applied to the binding of a book, usually on one or both covers. It may take the form of a coat of arms, a cipher, a monogram, a name or an emblem, often stamped in gilt. The supra-libris serves to identify the patron who commissioned the binding or a former owner of the copy, and constitutes an essential element in the study of a copy's provenance.

The ordinary portion of an edition intended for regular commercial sale, as opposed to the limited deluxe copies, large-paper copies or special issues - generally all numbered. It is printed on the standard paper chosen for the edition, unlike the numbered copies, whose paper is of higher quality.

The most luxurious and generally most limited portion of a print run, printed on superior-quality paper and sometimes enriched with special features: a suite of plates, an additional state, a signature, original illustrations, a special limitation statement, or a distinctive binding. Copies are often numbered.

The edge opposite the spine of the volume, corresponding to the outer border of the leaves that one grasps to open the book. It may be straight or concave, or bear various decorations, notably gilding or a fore-edge painting.

The lower edge of a volume when standing upright. Like the other edges, it may be left plain or given a decorative or protective treatment.

The upper edge of a volume when placed upright. It may be left natural, trimmed, gilt, coloured, marbled, or given any other decorative treatment.

The three faces formed by the edges of a volume's leaves: the top edge, the tail edge and the fore-edge. They may be left natural or given various decorative treatments: gilding, marbling, colouring, sprinkling or gauffering.

Hole or tunnel bored through the pages, boards or spine of a book by the larvae of various beetles and moths, collectively known as bookworms. Wormholes are among the most common forms of damage found in old books and manuscripts, particularly those kept in damp conditions.

Tanned calfskin used in bookbinding for its fineness, suppleness and tight grain. Widely used in European bookbinding, it can receive numerous decorative treatments, notably producing blond, tan, marbled, speckled or tree calf.

Paper with a smooth, even surface, made on a mould fitted with a fine wire mesh that leaves no trace of chain lines or wire lines. Developed in England in the 18th century by John Baskerville and James Whatman, wove paper was later perfected by Étienne Montgolfier and then François-Ambroise Didot, with the help of Benjamin Franklin - then the United States ambassador to France.

In bookselling, the phrase "copy on wove paper" thus denotes a superior-quality paper, often chosen for limited deluxe editions or fine editions, and not a support made of animal skin.

Vellum is a skin of stillborn or newborn calf, tanned and sanded down to obtain an extremely fine support, almost free of visible pores. Used from the Middle Ages onward for the most precious manuscripts, it was also employed, later, for certain deluxe printings: hence the terms "copy on vellum" or "one of the rare copies printed on vellum skin". It should not be confused with vellum paper (papier vélin), simply the name of a deluxe paper that became widespread in the eighteenth century, with no apparent grain.

Fine, closely-spaced parallel metal wires that make up the mould used to manufacture paper by hand; by extension, the name given to the fine lines they leave visible when the sheet is held up to the light. Their arrangement and spacing can assist in the study and dating of early papers.