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Antiquarian Abbreviations

In this section, you can look up the most commonly used abbreviations, used in the book descriptions across this site. It is not a complete list of all the abbreviations used, but the most common ones. If you have any questions about abbreviations, and their meaning, don't hesitate to contact the seller, then they will assist you in this matter.

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12:o (12mo)

Duodecimo, a format you achieve, when folding a sheet of paper 12 times.

2:o

Folio is the size a sheet of paper achives, when folded once, thus having two sheets and from that 4 pages.

4:o (4to)

Qvarto, is the format a sheet of paper achives, when folded twice, thus giving 4 sheets (and hereby 8 pages).

8:o (8vo)

Oktave, the format you achieve when folding a a sheet of paper 3 times, thus getting 8 sheest, and thereby 16 pages.This format is the most commonly used format, recognizable by the fact that this is the format most novels, biographies and such is published in.

a.a.

Akademisk avhandling.

Abstr

Abstract, also resumé or excerp

b/w

Illustrated in black and white

Bas

Or basane, leather from sheeps.

bd

Bindings, number of bindings (often in the context of a series of books, about a specific topic)

Bibl. Dan

Bibliotecha Danica.

bl. O

A blank cover, without title, or any other printing

Chra.

Christiania.

cis. gs

Cichelled guildet edge.

d.-m

Demi-Maroquin, a half binding, made out of very high quality of goat skin from Marocco. Used for bindings (maroquin bindings), and is often coloured in bright colours

d.u. (det udk.)

What is published. Meaning everything published, but not published in it's entirety. Either because the author died, the publisher went out of commission, or because of any other reason one might think of.

ded. (dedik.)

Inscription, made by the author or participating artist or co-author, made out to a recipient of the book. This must not be confused with an owner's name in a book.

def.

Defekt.

dek.

Dekorert.

Dent

Dentelle, the gilded lace trim, found on many full leather bindings

Disp. eller Diss

Dissertation, for the doctorate.

eks

Copy

engr

Engraving, etchings in copper

ex

copy, number of copies

faks.

Faksimile.

fig.

Figur(er). 

fo. eller fol

Folio size. See also 2:o

forf.

Forfatter. 

front

Frontispice, which is an, often full page illustration, often as a copper plate engraving in older books.

Gs. f. o

Gilded egde on top (the top gilded edge)

heft

See hft.

hft

Soft bound cover, this means that the book is bound and then glued to the cover, instead of trade paper backs, where the block and cover is just glued together.

Hldr

Full leather binding.

ill

A book which has illustrations throughout the book, not just equipped with an illustrated front cover.

illustr

See ill.

indb

Bound book, either as a leather binding, a cloth binding or a fablea binding type. The bindings kan be in full, half or a "Milimeterbind", the latter which is a speciality developed when materials were scarce.

kart

Meaning a binding made in cardboard binding.

Kbh

The city of Copenhagen, used for determining the place of publishing a book.

Kbhvn

København

kol.

Kolorert.

Kra.

Kristiania. 

Ldr

Leather, leather binding. Not specified here whether it is a half volume or a full volume.

leks8vo.

Leksikonformat. 

lit.

Litografi. 

oms.

Omslag

oppl.

Opplag

Orig

Original, as the book appeared on publication.

pag

Page numbering is indicated.

Pbd

Cardboard binding, cartonnage binding.

perg.

Pergament.

pl.

Plansjer

pp

In Danish, this means the number of pages, from the English "pages".

red.

Redigert.

rep

Repaired or improved copy. It can often be the back that has been repaired, or individual pages that have been loose and have now been reattached.

s

Pages, the number of pages in the publication.

s.a.

Sine anno, uten år.

s.l.

Sine loco, uten sted.

s/h

Black and white, used to indicate the shape of the illustrations.

samt

Contemporary, carried out in close connection with the publication year of the publication.

sm. indb

Beautifully bound. But it is an expression that must be taken with a grain of salt, the taste for binding types varies over time, so what was beautiful in the 1930s is not necessarily beautiful today.

St.p. t

Stamp on title page.

Stkh.

Stockholm. 

t.e.g.

Top edge gilt. Topp Gullsnitt. 

tab.

Tabell.

Tvl

Plates

u.å

Without year, a publication year for the book is not specified. Some publishers excelled in not specifying this, e.g. Carit Andersens Forlag.

u.s.

Uten sted, det er ikke angitt utgivelsessted. 

Ubesk

Uncut

udg

Publisher, which is often a publishing house, but can easily be private printing and other forms of publishing.

Uds

Sold out

Uib. eller uindb

Not bound copy.

unpag

English expression for the number of pages not specified

upag

No page numbering is indicated.

utg.

Utgiver, ofte er et forlag, men kan være privattrykk og andre former for utgivervirksomhet.

Vell

Vellum, parchment made from calfskin.

vign

The vignette or vignettes. Small decorative drawings that divide a page flow without being actual illustrations.

vol

Volume, the English term for volume, understood as a book in a series of books.