Glossary of book history terms

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The glossary below aims to help both novices and more advanced researchers of the history of the book and its many variants understand some of the common terms employed in the many different disciplines that contribute to this varied field of study. Additions and updates are welcome.

bifolium
two conjugate (connected) leaves, prepared as a surface for writing.
broadside
an undivided sheet of paper printed on one side only.
catchword
a word positioned below the final word on a given page which duplicates the first word on the following page, in order to guide the printer or reader.
chain lines
lines visible in laid paper, caused by the wire of the paper mould displacing fibers during the paper making process.
chase
a rectangular frame (of wood first, later of iron), which enclosed the forms in hand-press printing. Made in pairs, they were used with wooden furniture and quoins to lock up the type.
codex
the common form of a book in the Western world after ca. 350 AD, with leaves of papyrus, then paper or parchment bound along one edge.
collation
the process of comparing the book in hand to one or multiple other witnesses in order to reveal differences and establish completeness. Collation can also refer to the bibliographical description of the book, given in a formula which articulates its physical composition (format, signatures, and number of leaves).
colophon
a note at the end of a book or work giving all or some of the following information: the title of the work, its author, its scribe or printer, the place of production, and date.
corrector
a workman in the printing shop who checks proof for errors.
coucher
the papermaker who turned the mould over the felt and depostied the newly made piece of paper and returned the mould to the vatman.
deckle
a removable wooden rim which can be fitted to the papermaking mould to make it into a tray-like sieve with a raised edge.
deckle edge
the uneven edge of handmade paper created by the fibers that seeped under the deckle.
folio
1. a leaf of paper or parchment
2. a format of book created when a sheet of paper or parchment is folded once.
3. in book-collecting terms, a size based on definition 2.
font (or fount)
a complete set of types of letters, numerals, and other symbols, cut and cast in the same style and size.
format
the size and shape of a book, as determined by the number of times the original sheet of paper or parchment has been folded to form its constituent leaves.
folio (fol. or 2°) = folded once
quarto (4to or 4°) = folded twice
octavo (8vo or 8°) = folded thee times
duodecimo (12mo or 12°) = folded four times
internal title page
recto
repository
running heads
signatures
letters printed in the lower margin of the page as a guide to binding. These typically appear on at least the initial leaf of a gathering; the preliminary leaves may not be signed at all, or may be signed with a symbol such as an asterisk.
Stationer
STC
quire
verso
witness
a single material instance of a given text.

See Also

John Carter, ABC for Book Collectors. Eds. Nicolas Barker & Simran Thadani. 9th ed. Oak Knoll Press, 2016.

Richard W. Clement, "Glossary of Terms for Pre-Industrial Book History" (2009). Library Faculty & Staff Publications. Paper 11. http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/lib_pubs/11.