"Book part terminology"
Dust jacket (dj) or dust wrapper (dw) or book jacket or jacket or dust cover
Flap-- inside fold of dust jacket
Jacket band or wrap around band-- a strip wrapped around a dust jacket for sales promotion purposes; e.g., to emphasize some local or late news tie-in
Yapped-- paper or other soft material cover of book's edges that is fragile
Polyester or Mylar or Brodart-- a transparent, stable plastic for a book's extra protection; comes in types and weights
Glassine-- a protective book wrapper made of transparent paper
Slipcase or box-- a cardboard case usually covered in paper, cloth, or leather which holds book(s) with only the books' spines exposed
Case-- a preassembled hard cover for a book which comprises the front and back covers and connecting material across the spine, and wraps around the inside pages
Enclosure-- encloses books to protect them from harmful elements such as light, dust, insects etc. Some enclosures: archival boxes, acid-free envelopes and polyester sleeves
Solander-- a form of box for keeping books and paper parts, pamphlets, illustrative plates etc.; is shaped and opens like a book
Pull-case-- a protective box which telescopes, for books, pamphlets etc.
Binding-- the structural materials such as thread and glue holding a book together, plus the attached covers of the book which may be cloth, boards, paper, or other material
Spine or outside spine or back strip or backstrip or backbone-- the backstrip of the book, which usually shows the book's title, author and publisher when book is in shelved position
Dos-a-dos binding-- two books bound back-to-back, where the fore-edge of one is next to the spine of the other
Head-- top or top edge of book
Tail or foot-- bottom or bottom edge of book
Panels or boards-- hard covers for front and back sides of book
Squares-- the portion of the boards projecting beyond the edge of the book
Inside margins-- the border made by the turn-in of the leather on the inside face of the boards
Hard cover or hardbound-- book covers of cloth- or paper-covered boards
Paper board-- boards without cloth or leather; stiff cardboard covered in paper
Pasteboard-- stiff paper board made by the union of thin layers of paper or paper pulp
Binder's board-- a stiff, high-grade composition board
Wrappers-- plain paper covers, often used before modern binding
Chip board-- a less expensive substitute for binder's board
Limp binding or Limp-- a binding from which the stiffening board has been omitted
Paperback or paperbound or softcover-- book with paper covers, such as mass-market paperbacks, quality paperbacks or trade paperbacks
Perfect binding-- a book with adhesive to keep the paper together (as opposed to sewing)
Flexible binding-- flexible covers rather than stiff boards
Divinity circuit-- flexible binding usually of soft leather, as seal or levant, with extended edges that bend over the body of the book. Used principally for Bibles and prayer books, and sometimes on small secular books for pocket use.
Hollow-back-- a book in which the back of the cover is not glued to the spine of the book, permitting it to bow outward when the book is opened
Tubular back-- a book with a tubular piece of fabric glued to the spine of the volume and to the back of the cover
Tight back-- the back of the cover is glued directly to the spine
Tapes-- strips of cloth or tape pasted or sewed to the back of a book, the ends of which are glued or laced down to the cover to strengthen the binding
Tie-- narrow strips of leather, linen or other material attached to the covers of a book, to be tied across its fore-edges to prevent the curling of the binding. A feature especially of many vellum books, old and new.
Nonwoven materials-- cover materials other than cloth. Numerous types are made today including paper and various kinds of plastics
Cloth or linen-- fabric pasted over hardcover boards
Buckram or library buckram-- a durable, coarse linen binding; often used by public or academic libraries
Half cloth binding-- book of paper boards and cloth spine
Leather or whole binding-- book of leather boards and spine
Three-quarter leather-- book of paper board with leather spine and leather corners only
Half leather or half-binding or half-bound-- book of paper board with leather spine only
Quarter-binding-- book of paper board with a leather back only
Vellum-- thin sheet of skin (calf, lamb or kid) used for writing or printing, or for the book's cover
Recased-- book with replaced covers and endpapers
Joint-- exterior hinge of book; the part of the binding that bends when the boards are opened
Slips-- the ends of the sewing cord or tape that are attached to the boards
Headband-- the usually decorative band inside the spine, sewn across the top of the pages to reinforce the book's binding
Tailband-- the usually decorative band inside the spine, sewn across the bottom of the pages to reinforce the book's binding
End band-- headband or tailband
Headcap-- the fold of leather over the end band
Rebacked-- replaced spine
Rejointed-- original covers and spine repaired onto book
Book block or bookblock or text block-- all the pages in the book as a unit
Endpapers or lining papers-- the double leaf inside the front/back boards; paper placed at the beginning and end of a book, one-half pasted to the inside of the cover, and the fold being bound to the rest of the pages. Endpapers fasten the book to its cover, and are not generally included in a book's pagination
Joints-- strips of leather or cloth used to strengthen the endpapers
Pastedown or inside front/back cover-- the pasted-down paper inside the front/back boards
Front/back hinge-- the inside paper fold of the covers
Free front endpaper-- loose front page of the endpaper
Flyleaf-- blank leaf following the free front endpaper
Sheet-- the full size of the paper as printed, forming a section when folded
Self-wrapper-- printed or unprinted paper cover, an integral part of the sheet or sheets comprising the body of the book so bound
Signature or gathering or section-- printed and folded sheets that make the pages of the book; the folded sheet
Adhesive binding or perfect binding-- signatures are glued-in rather than sewn-in
Sewing-- the method of holding pages and signatures together by means of thread
Bands-- the horizontal cords running across the spine of a book to which the signatures of the book are sewn
Stitching-- the method of holding pages and signatures together by means of wire staples
Lining-- the material which is pasted down on the backbone of a book after it has benn rounded and glued off. It reinforces the glue and helps hold signatures together. The best bound books are lined with super and kraft paper called liner. In cheaper editions either crash or paper only is used
Crash or super-- a guaze-like fabric glued to the backbone of a book during the lining stage of binding for added strength
Liner-- a piece of kraft paper glued to the backbone of a book, as opposed to crash lining
Integral-- a leaf that is part of a signature
Interleaved-- any special leaves individually inserted between the printed leaves
Gutter or back margin-- the crease between pages
Leaf-- two pages (front and back sides)
Page-- one side of a leaf
Recto or obverse-- the front/right page
Verso or reverse-- the back/left page
Stub-- the narrow strip of paper after a leaf was cut from the book
Cancel-- a correction leaf or signature that has replaced an earlier one
Top edge-- the top side of the book's pages
Fore-edge or front edge or thumb edge-- the fore side of the book's pages
Bottom edge-- the bottom side of the book's pages
Uncut edges or uncut pages or deckled edges-- rough, irregularly-cut side of the book's pages usually associated with hand-made paper (although it can be machine-cut)
Goffered edges or gauffered edges-- an indented pattern on the edges of the pages of a book
Unopened-- the leaves of the book are still joined at the folds
Bolt-- folded edge of the sheets in an unopened book
Blank-- an unprinted leaf that is part of a signature
Folding plates-- larger pages that fold out, such as maps
Guards or hinges-- (1) strips of paper or muslin, to which text leaves, illustrations, maps etc are attached, and by which they are bound into a volume; (2) strips of strong paper or cloth used to reinforce the first and last signatures of a book
Acid-- alum, introduced into paper production in the mid-1800's, that reacts with air and water to form sulfuric acid-- leads to paper embrittlement and deterioration, yellowing
pH-- a chemical term denoting the acid content of a book's pages
pH pen-- a felt-tip pen usually chlorophenol red used to test paper for acid
Acid-free-- paper, box or other material with a pH level of 6.0 or higher
Lignin-free-- paper, box or other material with a calcium carbonate "buffer" to prevent acid migration
Deluxe-- editions of superior design, type, paper, binding; usually limited in print number
Miniature book-- book in small format issued since the middle of the eighteenth century. The dimensions vary from less than an inch square to approximately 2x1-1/4 inches
Bibelot-- any small decorative book
Extra binding-- a hand binding of more than usual elegance
Blind tooling or blind stamping or blind blocking-- impressions on the cover without color or metal foil
Beviled edges-- angle-cut edges on paper boards
Fillet-- an ornamental line, plain or of repetitive design, usually of gold, that is impressed on the cover of a book
Bosses-- raised brass or other metal pieces on the binding of a book, for protection and ornamentation
Doublure-- ornamental lining of a book cover made with tooled leather, silk, or other material
Inlaid binding or mosaic binding or onlay-- a leather binding into which other colors or kinds of leather have been inserted for decorative purposes
Armorial binding-- a binding decorated with the arms or other device of royalty or nobility
Cameo binding-- a binding with a cameo-like decoration, usually inset or stamped on front cover
Dentelle-- lace-like patterns to the outer or inner borders of a book's board
Bulk-- the thickness of a book without its covers
Illuminated-- ornamental letters, scrolls, miniatures, and other designs, usually in gold color. A feature of many ancient manuscripts and early printed books.
Ornament-- any decoration, such as a rule, border, initial letter, or design
Floret or flower or printer's flower-- an ornament in the shape of a small flower or leaf, used in binding or printing
Cartouche-- scroll-like flourish with a pen or brush, used as an ornamental border or frame
Diaper-- a small diamond-shaped pattern or ornament repeated in a regular all-over design
Label-- printed paper, cloth, or leather slips glued to the spine or front cover
Pictorial-- picture on the cover
Gilt edges (g.e.) or all edges gilt (a.e.g.) or colored edges-- the edges of a book's pages usually trimmed smooth and covered with gold leaf; gold or colored edges of a book's pages
Gilt top (g.t.) or top edge gilt (t.e.g.)
Gilt extra-- binding with more than the usual gilt ornamentation
Red under gold-- a method of treating the edges of a book by staining them red and gilding over the stain. Frequently used on Bibles, prayer books, dictionaries, etc. Occasionally used in printing illustrations
Sprinkled edges-- book edges which, after being trimmed smooth, are spattered with color by means of a brush. Usually done on all three edges
Stained edges/ stained top-- the edges (or top only) of a book stained with color. Staining helps prevent dust smudges or finger-marks from showing
Marbling-- the marble-like variety of color decoration found on the pages' fore-edge, and the front and back endpapers
Coated paper or art paper-- shiny, smooth illustration page (plate) or art book pages
Tissue guard-- a single sheet of tissue paper to protect an illustration plate
Ribbon marker-- ribbon bound into book to mark the reader's place, usually of silk
Provenance-- a record of ownership of a particular copy of a book
Bookplate or ex libris-- lable pasted onto the front pastedown or front free endpaper, commercially- or privately-made, listing bookowner information
Ephemera-- material of transitory interest or value-- perishable productions never meant to last, such as pamphlets, broadsides, photographs, advertisements
Clipping-- Newspaper article, magazine clipping etc.
Extra-illustrated-- extra matter added to and bound into a volume or set, such as engravings, letters, or documents, illustrating the text
Tipped-in-- plate, letter, photo etc that is *attached* to the book
Laid-in-- plate, letter, photo etc that is *not attached* to book
Autograph-- letters, documents, cards, etc, written or signed with a person's own hand
Signature or signed-- author's autograph on owner's book
Inscription-- author's note on owner's book
Association copy-- author's presentation copy; includes the inscription or signature of the author directed towards the book's recipient
Association book-- book having an autograph or notes by the author, or a book in any way intimately connected with a prominent person who may have owned or presented it
Remainder mark-- stamp, black marker, spray paint etc on a book to be sold as a remainder
Ex-library or ex-libris or ex-lib-- formerly a library book, with the attendant discard stamp, labels, etc
Made-up copy-- an incomplete book whose lack of a leaf, or more, has been made good by the addition of the missing leaf or leaves from another imperfect copy or copies of the same edition
Tight-- any break in the paper hasn't yet weakened the binding
Shaken-- the inner hinges have become weak or torn
Loose-- the sections or entire innards are badly loosened from the case to a more serious degree than shaken
Breaker-- a book with bad covers, to be rebound or broken up
Covers bound in-- the original covers are included within a later binding. Also, occasionally the covers are preserved when the volume is rebound by mounting them as flyleaves or using them as endpapers
Damp stains-- ragged and musty general damage to a book; caused by high humidity
Foxing-- irregularly-shaped brown spots caused by paper's reaction to environment; although a common problem, not all books have paper makeup susceptible to this damage
Bright-- pages in very good condition (without foxing, yellowing, staining etc)
Clean
Soiled
Scuffed-- usage wear such as scratches, nicks
Rubbed-- the boards of a book show scratches and wear spots
Darkened-- leather binding damage due to improper leather care
Flaking-- the book's leather covers are too dry
Tear
Shaved-- a book trimmed so closely that the top or bottom lines of type on the pages have been grazed
Chipped-- book jacket edges are chipped
Price-clipped-- book jacket is clipped where price of book was printed
Waterstained-- discoloration or shrinking of binding or leaf
Warped boards
Sunned-- bleaching or fading of covers due to ultra-violet rays (UV) or strong light
Unsophisticated-- unrestored book; badly-conditioned "as is" book
Imperfect-- a book lacking some leaves or whole signatures, or with leaves either omitted, duplicated, misplaced or damaged