This is a list of abbreviations commonly used by booksellers.
- ABA: Antiquarian Booksellers' Association[1]
- ABAA: Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America[1]
- A.e.g.: All edges gilt.[1][2]
- A.e.s.: All edges stained.[2]
- A.L.s.: Autograph letter, signed.[1]
- ARC: Advance reading copy.[2]
- BCE: Book Club edition.[2]
- Bd.: Bound.[1]
- Bdg.: Binding.[1][2]
- Bds.: Boards.[1]
- B.e.p.: Back endpaper.
- B.f.e.p.: Back free endpaper.
- B.L.: Blackletter.[1]
- BOMC: Book-of-the-Month Club.
- c. or ca.: Circa; around/about (referring to date)[1][3]
- C. & p.: Collated and perfect.[1]
- Cf.: Calf.[1]
- Cl.: Cloth.[1]
- CR or CPR or ©: Copyright
- CWO: Check or cash with order.
- Dec.: Decorated.[1]
- D.j.: Dust jacket.[1]
- D.S.: Document signed.[3]
- DW: Dustwrapper (same as dust jacket, or book jacket)[1]
- Ed.: Edition or editor.[1][2][3]
- Endp. or e.p.: Endpaper.[1][2]
- Eng. or engr.: Engraved(ing).[1]
- Ex-lib: Ex-Library copy, a book once held in library.[1][2] Not to be confused with Ex Libris.
- Ex Libris: From the library of, referring to previous owner—often found on bookplates.[2]
- F: Fine condition.
- Facs.: Facsimile.[1]
- F.e.p.: Front endpaper.[2]
- F.f.e.p.: Front free endpaper.[2]
- FL: Flyleaf
- Frontis. or front. or fp.: Frontispiece.[1][2][3]
- G: Good condition.
- G. or gt.: Gilt.[1]
- G.e.: Gilt edges.[1]
- HC/HCV: Hardcover.
- Hf. bd.: Half bound.[1]
- Illus. or ills. or ill.: Illustrated.[1][2][3]
- IOBA: Independent Online Booksellers Association
- Litho: Lithograph.[3]
- Ltd. Ed.: Limited Edition.[2]
- M.e.: Marbled edges.[1]
- Mco., mor.: Morocco leather.[1]
- MS(S). Manuscript(s).[1][3]
- N.d.: No date.[1][2][3]
- NF: Near Fine condition.
- N.p.: No place, publisher, or printer.[1][2][3]
- N.p.c.: not price clipped (of the jacket).
- NYR or NYP: Not Yet Released or Not Yet Published
- OSI: Out of Stock Indefinitely
- O.p.: Out-of-Print.[1][3]
- P.b. or p.p.b.: Paperback.[2]
- P.c.: price clipped (of the jacket).[2]
- Pl(s).: Plate(s).[1]
- P.P.: Privately printed.[1][3]
- pp: Pages; p (and then the number) for page; pp for plural pages.[3]
- PPD: Postpaid.
- Pr.: Printing.
- Pseud.: Pseudonym.[1]
- Pub(d).: Publisher/published.[1]
- REP: Rear endpaper.[2]
- RFEP: Rear free endpaper.[2]
- RET: Returnable
- SLC or SC: Slipcase
- SGD: Signed
- T.e.g.: Top edge gilt.[1][2][3]
- T.L.s.: Typed letter, signed.[1]
- T.p.: Title-page.[1][2]
- TS.: Typescript.[1]
- Vol. or vols.: Volume/volumes.[1][2]
- VG: Very Good condition.
- W.a.f.: With all faults.[1][3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao Carter, John (1991). ABC for Book-Collectors (5th, Revised ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 13–16. ISBN 0394414039.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Glossary of book terms". AbeBooks. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Prytherch, Ray, ed. (2005). Harrod's Librarian's Glossary and Reference Book (PDF) (10th ed.). Aldershot: Ashgate. ISBN 978-1-4094-0124-7.