ABA - American Bookseller's Association
ABA - Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (British equivalent of the ABAA)
ABAA - Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America
AEG - All Edges Gilt
All Published - The book or set was never completed, or no more appeared.
ALS - Autographed Letter Signed
Antiquarian - (i) The largest size of handmade paper (53 x 31 ins or 1350 x 790 mm). (ii) Over 100 years old, or more recently (iii) Old. Antique Leather. Leather (usually calf) dyed unevenly to simulate age.
Aquatint - An Intaglio process, giving an effect, not dissimilar to a watercolour wash in finished appearance.
ARC - Advance Readers Copy
Art Paper - Paper with a smooth, hard surface caused by an even coating of caolin or china clay compound on one or both sides.
As Issued - In original condition
Association Copy - A book valued for its association, former ownership or provenance.
B
BCE - Book Club Edition
BDS - Boards
Bibliography - A listing of related books.
Black Letter - A variety of old fashioned gothic type, popular with early English printers.
Blank - A leaf or sheet without any printing.
Blind - Decoration or lettering made by plain blocking or tooling without any colour or gilding.
Blocking - Cover decoration applied in a press, usually from a metal plate.
Boards - The stiff sides of any book in hard covers.
BOMC - Book-of-the-Month Club
Bookplate, Ex Libris - Ownership label, usually decorative, pasted to the Endpaper.
Bought In - An auction term, whereby an item did not reach its reserve, and was therefore unsold.
Bowdler, Bowdlerise - To remove, deface or alter words or passages that may be considered indelicate. Named after Dr. Bowdler who in 1818 issued an expurgated edition of Shakespeare. A form of censorship.
Brightbacks - Books in decorative or pictorial cloth bindings, heavy gilt or enamelled.
Broadside - A sheet printed on one side, often polemical. (sometimes referred to as a Broadsheet)
Buckram - A tough binding, of sized cloth.
