Antiquarian & Collectible Book Terms Dictionary - E

A glossary of words with definitions starting with the letter E related to collectible, rare and antiquarian books.

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EA or ea – Each

ED or ed – editor

Edges - The top, bottom, and un-hinged outer sides of a book.

Edgeworn - Wear along the edges of hardback book covers.

Edited - Prepared for publication.

Edition - All copies of a book that are printed from the same plates or one setting of type. An edition can have more than one printing. For example, if 400 copies of a book are printed on September 15, and 300 copies are printed from the same plates on November 24, all 700 copies are part of the same edition. Printing - the copies of a book or other printed material which originate from the same press run or from the same plates or setting of type at one time. In the example given for "Edition" above, the 400 copies would be the first printing and the 300 copies comprise the second printing. In the 19th century some publishers labeled later printings as if they were later editions, i.e. a second printing would be called a "second edition" on the copyright page.

Edition de luxe - An edition of a book that has been specially printed and bound for its fine appearance. Sometimes refers to limited editions with special leather or decorated cloth bindings.

Editor- A person who gathers material for a book, oversees text written by others, and/or makes the text more readable.

Edn or edn – edition

Elephant Folio - A book about 23 inches tall.

Embossed leather - A leather binding that has been printed with a raised design.

End paper - Paper, often of coated stock or marbled paper or otherwise "fancy" paper, with one half pasted to the cover; used primarily to give a finished appearance to the binding.

End Papers - The sheets of paper pasted onto the inner covers, joining the book block to the covers. One side of the sheet is pasted to the inside cover, the other is left free.

Eng or Engl - English

Eng or Engr - engraved

Engraving - An illustration or decoration printed from a metal plate or hardwood block.

Engravings - An illustration or decoration printed from a metal plate or wood block.

Ep or ep - endpaper

Ephemera - From the Greek work ephemeron, meaning something that disappears quickly. Examples are - manifestos, broadsides, programs, menus, tickets, playbills, magazines, journals, paper toys, and publisher promotional items.

Errata - A list of errors and misprints in the text of a book. The list might be printed on a bound page in the book or on a separate piece of paper that is pasted or laid in the book.

Example - A particular copy of an edition.

Ex-lib or x-lib - Ex-library, see next entry.

Ex-Library - Previously owned by a lending library, and usually accompanied by the library stamps, marks, packets, cards, stickers etc. Ex-Library books are generally not valued by collectors, except as reading copies.

Ex-Libris - A bookplate printed with the owner's name or initials. Latin for "From the library of..."

Extra Illustrated - Usually a volume made into a unique copy with additional illustrations, autographs, or manuscripts added by carefully gluing or tipping-in this extra material.

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