Glossary

Glossary of Terms for Collectors of Rare Maps, Atlases, Books, Globes and other related Scientific Objects.

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Vellum

True vellum is a thin specially treated untanned “leather” from calf skin, also known as parchment (high quality parchment from calf skin is called vellum; general quality parchment is made from calf, goat or sheep skin); used for documents and for book bindings; many early books have vellum bindings.

French: Vélin
Italian: Pergamena
Spanish: Pergamino

Verso

The reverse or opposite or left-hand side, especially used in reference to a leaf which has a recto and verso side; in a open book the recto is the right hand page and the verso is the left hand page; in the case of a broadside only the recto is printed and the verso is blank.

Vignette

A small ornamental or decorative design, used on a title page or as a head- or tailpiece to a chapter or division of a book. Also, any illustration not enclosed in a border or squared off at the edges but shading away.

Danish: Vignet
Dutch: Vignet
French: Vignette
German: Vignette
Italian: Vignetta
Spanish: Viñeta
Swedish: Vignett, även vinjett