| Term |
Definition |
| Bar border |
Solid decorative border extending around three or four sides of the writing space in a manuscript |
| Bifolium |
Folded sheet of paper forming two folios |
| Blind stamping |
Method of pressing or embossing a design onto leather using unheated metal tools. Called ‘blind’ because no inks or colours are used |
| Border |
Design drawn around the writing space in a manuscript |
| Catchword |
The first word of the following page on a new quire, written at the bottom of the preceding page to assist in gathering the quires accurately for binding |
| Codex |
Manuscript volume, made of leaves (folios) sewn together and bound with a cover |
| Collation |
The action of arranging a number of quires or gatherings into book form; also the technical description or statement of how gatherings are arranged in the book |
| Composite manuscript |
Bound manuscript made up of separate manuscripts not originally intended to be gathered together |
| Exemplar |
A version of a text used as the basis for another copy, written out by a scribe |
| Flesh side |
The side of a sheet of vellum or parchment which had been the inside of the animal skin |
| Flourish |
Decorative feature on a manuscript page, drawn with pen and ink |
| Fly-leaf |
Blank sheet of parchment or paper placed immediately inside the binding and before the main text of a manuscript |
| Folio |
One leaf of a manuscript volume, with both the front (recto) and back (verso) sides available as writing spaces; also the size of page formed by folding a standard sheet of parchment or paper once, bigger than quarto or octavo |
| Gathering |
A number of folios, placed on top of each other, with a fold in the middle, forming a booklet. The same as quire |
| Guide-letters |
Small letters written by the scribe to let the illuminator know which letter to draw as a decorated initial |
| Hair side |
The side of a sheet of vellum or parchment which had been the outside of the animal skin; sometimes the hair follicles can still be seen |
| Hide |
Animal skin, which is treated and prepared to make a sheet of parchment or vellum |
| Historiated initial |
An initial that includes a depiction of a recognisable individual or narrative scene |
| Illuminated manuscript |
A manuscript decorated with gold, silver or precious metals |
| Illuminator |
An artist who creates illustrations, including initials and flourishes, in a manuscript. Sometimes known as a ‘limner’ |
| Inhabited initial |
An initial that includes a depiction of an unknown human or an animal, in contrast to an historiated initial |
| Initial |
A letter which has been written, drawn or painted larger or more ornately than other letters, to introduce a new sentence or passage of text |
| Lombard |
Rounded capital letter in red or blue ink, sometimes filled in decoratively |
| Miniature |
An illustration within a text, presented on its own and not part of a decorative initial |
| Octavo |
Size of page formed by folding a standard sheet of parchment or paper three times; smaller than folio or quarto size |
| Parchment |
Writing surface made by treating and preparing animal hide, usually made from sheep or goat skin |
| Paste-down |
A piece of parchment or paper stuck with glue to the inside of a binding to provide extra strength |
| Prickings |
Small holes made by the scribe at regular intervals along the edge of a leaf, used as guides for ruling |
| Quarto |
Size of page formed by folding a standard sheet of parchment or paper twice; smaller than folio but bigger than octavo size |
| Quill |
Ink pen made from the hollow shaft of a feather |
| Quire |
A number of folios, placed on top of each other, with a fold in the middle, forming a booklet. The same as gathering |
| Recto |
The first side of a folio |
| Rubrication |
The act of highlighting a particular part of a text by using red ink |
| Scribe |
The person who copied a text |
| Spine |
The edge of a book, where the central folds of the various quires or gatherings placed on top of each other join |
| Vellum |
Writing surface made by treating and preparing a superior-quality animal hide, often made from the skin of young lambs or kids |
| Verso |
The second (reverse) side of a folio |
| Watermark |
Impression within a sheet of paper, visible by holding the paper up to a light, made by placing a metal design inside the paper pulp mould |