All sizes are approximate.
4to, Qto. . . . quarto size (9" x 12" or 22.9cm x 30.5cm)
8vo, Oct. . . . octavo size (6" x 9" or 15.2cm x 22.9cm)
12mo . . . duodecimo size (5" x 7 .5" or 12.7cm x 19.1cm)
16mo . . . sextodecimo (4.25" x 6.75" or 10.8cm x 17.2cm)
24mo . . . twentyfourmo (3.5" x 6" or 8.9cm x 15.2cm)
32mo . . . thirtytwomo (3.25" x 5" or 8.3cm x 12.7cm)
64mo . . . sixtyfourmo (2" x 3" or 5.1cm x 7.6cm)
Atlas folio . . . 16" x 25" or 40.6cm x 63.5cm
Elephant folio . . .14" x 25" or 35.6cm x 63.5cm
Folio (Fo., Fol.) . 12" x 15" or 30.5cm x 38.1cm
A.D. : Autograph document
A.D.s. : Autograph document, signed
Ads, adverts : Advertisements
A.E.G.: All Edges Gilt
A.L. : Autograph letter
A.L.s. : Autograph letter, signed
A.M.s. : Autograph manuscript, signed
auth : author
bce : book club edition
bd. : bound
bdg. : binding
bk : book
bks : books
bkpl : bookplate
bkstrp : backstrip
BMC : British Museum Catalog
brk/brok : broken
buck : buckram
C. & p.: Collated and perfect
ca. : circa, approximately
cat : catalog
CBEL : Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature
chip/chp : chipped
cl: cloth
col : color
conts : contents
cpy : copy
cv : cover
DAB : Dictionary of American Biography
dec/decor : decorated, decoration
dict : dictionary
disb : disbound
dj : dust jacket
DNB : Dictionary of National Biography (British)
doc. : document
dw : dust wrapper
ea : each
ed : editor
edn : edition
Eng./Engl. : English
eng./engr. : engraved
ex-lib/x-lib : ex-library
ep : endpaper
F./ff. : Folio, folios (leaves)
facs : facsimile
f/o : fold out
front : frontispiece
fwd : foreword
fx : foxing (also foxed)
grn : green
hc : hardcover
hf. : half (as in half sheets)
hist : history
hndbk : handbook
hng : hinge
ill/illus : illustrated, illustration
Imp. : Imperial
impft : imperfect
ins : inside
inscr : inscribed
intro. : introduction
Ital. : italic letter
lea. : leather
lf : leaf
lge. : large
lith : lithograph
L.p. : large paper
LS : letter, signed
ltd : limited
mag : magazine
M.e. : marbled edges
Ms/Mss : manuscript(s)
mssg : missing
mrbld : marbled
N.d. : no date
N.F. : Near Fine
N.p. : no place
N.s. : Note, signed
N.V.G .: Near Very Good
Ob./obl. : oblong
oct : octavo
OED : Oxford English Dictionary
op : out-of-print
orig. : original
o/w : otherwise
pamph : pamphlet
pb : paperback
pc : price clipped
P./pp. : page, pages
pg : page
photo : photograph
pict : pictorial
Pl, pls : plate, plates
po : previous owner
pol. : polished
port : portrait
p., pp. : page, pages
prc clpd : price clipped (from dust jacket)
pref : preface
prelims : preliminary leaves
pres : presentation copy
prev : previous
priv prntd : privately printed
pseud : pseudonym(ous)
pt. : part
pub : published or publisher
rbkd : rebacked
reprd : repaired
rev : revised
sc : soft cover
sgd : signed
sig : signature
slpcs : slipcase
sl : slight
sm : small
sp : spine
sq : square
STC : Short-Title Catalog
stns : stains
swd : sewed
T.E.G : top edges gilt
T.L.s : Typed letter, signed
tp : title page
trans : translator
TS : typescript
unb/unbd : unbound
vd/vy : various dates, various years
vol/vols : volume(s)
w.a.f .: with all faults
w/ : with
w/o : without
wn : worn
wr : wear
wrap(s) : wrappers, paperback
wt : weight
yr : year
