Adult Collectibles Exchange

Shortforms & Symbols

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Symbol	Description
¼	1/4 [one quarter] (in case your browser shows something else)
½	1/2 [one half]
¾	3/4 [three quarters] Note: all measurements given are approximate.
¹	one. Trying not to use this as it looks too similar to a single quote mark. But when a book has 10 stories, we might have used it to indicate that one is about incest, or bondage, as..... incest¹.
1s	one-shots. Referring to how many pictures of someone are in an issue. The opposite of a "pict.". Thus a note might read: "6 pict.+14-1s+JuneW[fc]". That issue has six pictorial layouts (a.k.a. "spreads") of different models with multiple pictures/pages on each AND 14 more models appear with just one or 2 photos of each AND JuneW. (probably June Wilkinson) appears only on the front cover (otherwise it would have been noted as "JuneW[fc+]").
1st	first. This is almost always referring to the first printing *in this form, by this publisher.* See also: "thus".
²	small two. Two of whatever it's closest to; or "doubled". If we're really cramped in an "about" we may use a fullsize 2 to eliminate the need for spacing as in.... Yf2NY (young female goes to New York). See next.
³	small three. Three of whatever it's closest to; or "tripled". The most common occurance would be X³ instead of XXX.
! or [!]	In our opinion, whatever preceeds this is of great importance or added value. We felt it was worth your extra attention.
#	number or numbers. IF this appears in the Volume & Issue column, it is the "whole" number. For example, our usual notation would read V10-N12 which says this is the 12th issue of this magazine (in their 10th year of publishing). But if it is noted as V10 \|#120 then this company has put out a total of 120 issues since they started this title (and this is their 10th year of publication). Many U.S. publications improperly use the word "Volume" in front of their whole number (issue number).
$	used as an abbreviation of "price" or "cost".
$blk	the original cover price was blacked out, probably everywhere it was printed.
$due	"the price we set was affected by" whatever follows.
$out or $off	the original cover price has been punched [out] or scraped [off].
$tag	pricetag; usually "after-market" (often placed over the original printed cover price)
^ or ^^	above. Or if 2 without spacing, look 2 listings above. It was very hard to utilize the more familiar ditto mark as that is identical to quotemarks that are often misread by our software.
^+	above, plus. same as whatever is in the listing prior to this (but the condition is probably better) plus you get whatever follows this symbol [a poster, for example]. Note: the prior item does not have the bonus.
&	the "and" sign. Note: When you see "by author's name & author's name", this would be one work by the 2 authors in collaboration. BUT, when you see "author's name + author's name", that would be two works by two authors, writing separately. See Also: below "+ sign" for more clarification.
*	an asterisk. Find another star symbol in the listing for related details. IF there is NO other star, it was too large a note to fit in our listing design (such as an original/hardcover title)... please feel free to enquire.
=	equals. Often used as even shorter than "aka". As in: Paula=T.Lords.
+	plus sign. IF located between words, it means "next bit of detail". So, "Kitten N.[10pgs.]+poster" means the poster is NOT of Kitten. If it had been of Kitten, the "+poster" would have been inside the brackets with the "10pgs.". IF followed by a number, Lucy[cs+]+5, there are 5 more gals. IF at the end, it means "more info, but not enough space".
±	more or less. IF referring to a Focus/Genre such as [Lez ą] there is likely other sex as well. Or the central character decides she is straight, and the story ends with her happy with some man. IF with a Number, it would only be a difference of one either way. IF referring to a Flaw such as a stain, which affects each page to a lesser degree, it is a matter of opinion at what point it becomes unworthy of inclusion.
"	inch or inches. For those only familiar with the metric system, each quarter inch is approx. 5 to 6mm.
?	question mark. except when it is part of an actual title, it means that whatever data comes right before it is uncertain. Example: "Vanessa Del Raye=Del Rio?"... we know V.delRaye appears in this issue, but is she the same person as V.delRio?
>	more than. As in "more than 100 of the world's most beautiful women".
<	less than. As in "less than original whiteness" of covers (background). This particular one would be very minor or we would say "not-wht.".
[20K]	20,000 [words] - approximate story length
ac	art cover
a'd	autographed
ad	advertisement
a.k.a. or aka	also known as. If in capitals, it is the same meaning.
ama.	amateur. If in capitals, it is the same meaning.
a/o	author of.
approx.	approximately
ask	there is more info about this item than we can fit in the listing. Please feel free to e-mail & "ask" if you are interested in purchasing it.
a/t	at the. [usually in a story title]
awake[n][s]	this refers to the sexual awakening of the central character, usually their first sexual experiences.
b. or B.	bonus or supplement. Examples: a calendar, or "Guide To Nudism in Greece". These were often promoted as "pull-outs", making an issue that still has them more valuable (rarer). (Also see "xl-B").
BB	Brigitte Bardot.
b.c.	in lower case letters and with dots means "bottom center"
bc or BC	in capital letters or NO dots means "Back Cover" *except one place*... when we entered Grove paperbacks, it was used in capitals to short form their series "Black Cat".
bcs or BCs	Both Covers. [outer front and outer back]
b&d	bondage & discipline. probably milder activity; See: bdsm.
b.d.d.	black dot disease. There are some photos and/or even art-toons that have black censor-dots over the 'contact', penetration or 'body fluid' small area.
bdsm or BDSM	BondageDisciplineSadoMasochism. Rougher than "b&d", this would involve "torture" by most people's standards.
b.l.	bottom left
b.r.	bottom right
B&W or b&w	black and white
base	bottom
BB or B.B.	Brigitte Bardot
bdg.	Bondage. May be only ONE photo (unless the title makes it clear that the entire mag is so oriented).
bend[s]	the paper was bent or curled enough to mark one side, but we do not consider it a "crease" as it is not noticeable on the other side. [The paper is flat NOW, or it would be called a "curl".] See Also: rackbends.
bit	a small piece; usually in the ¼inch square range [5-6mm].
BP	Betty (Bettie) Page.
Bq. or bqs.	burlesque or sometimes burlesque queens; (50's 'strippers').
BTA or bta	Better Than Average. [at least for this title / series]
BUF or buf	Big Up Front. However, it is also the title of a magazine which may have started out as a "big boob" mag; but rapidly became a "plumpers" mag. Find it in the "Zaftig" genre group.
c. or C.	When accompanying a note about art or photo.... color, (c-GGA). When attached to a number [with or without dots or "th"]... century (14Cgal).
camera shy	Frankly, the cover of this item isn't worth the megabytes. Condition may be immaculate [see Notes field] but there is only a simple line drawing, a photo cover, or "just text".
CF or cf	centerfoldout. If it does NOT 'fold out', we call it a cs (centerspread).
CFO	Cover[s] Fold Out.
chip	an even smaller bit that is gone, usually along an edge, that does enter the main cover area. Please note that chips and bits out of ONLY the overlapping part of an untrimmed pulp magazine are so common they are NOT usually mentioned due to limited note space. Remember, many sites do not even provide notes of flaws !
chunk	a larger piece, usually ½" square or more [1 cm.+]
color chip	there is NO hole in the paper, but a small bit of the paper's inked surface has flaked off leaving a white spot in the colored area.
comp. or compil.	compilation. Several regular issues bound into one.
completes	the whole story is here. (the opposite of a "serial")
concl.	conclusion
cor.	corner
corS.	corners
cr.	crease
crs. or cr's	creases
cr+tr	crease with tear. The crease was bent so often it split along part of the crease.
cs or CS	centerspread. A "cs4" means the gal is on both sides of the cs sheet (4 pages). See Also: CF.
ctr.	center.
D. or Dmodel	remember our genre groups, here "D" means the gal is "darker than Caucasian".
DiD	"damsel in distress" [art]
dots	usually small black dots over penetration points in pics.
d'ripple	damp ripple. The item was dampened enough to leave a ripple in the page[s]. Usually this is "felt" more than it is "seen". If severe, it would be offered for sale at a very low cost.
d'stain	damp stain. The page(s) soaked up some dampness (basement storage?) and when they dried the edges of the affected area were lightly tinted brown. Others call this a waterstain.
edges / edgewear	the wear along the very outermost edges of a paperback's covers. most commonly caused by the book being slid repeatedly in & out of, or along shelves. The top, bottom, and sides of the spine ARE also "edges".
Eng.	English. Especially when the title of a book is still in French (for example) we are here confirming that the text of the work IS in English.
erofic	erotic fiction. Note:How erotic is unknown, no time to read. We assume "erotic" based on venue of publication
esp.	especially
f. or F.	Other book dealers use this for "Fine" (usually highest grade) here it is either "the F word" or "female" (go by context). See OF & Yf.
fac-pg	facing page or pages.
faint	We try to only use this term when we truly mean "you can only see the flaw when you hold the item at a certain angle to the light". See also: "lite".
fam. or family	In Books: this fiction sub-genre refers to willing activity between "family" members. In Nudist Magazines: all ages are shown in "family group" shots. There is, of course, NO "sexual activity" nor even it's connotation.
FC or fc	front cover
fic	fiction. See also: "erofic".
foxed or foxing	a term for the darkening / browning of old paper.
fp	full page. Thus, "28fp solos" would mean there are 28 pages of "one photo on each page" and in this example each gal is "alone".
fpc or fp-c	full page color.
gf	gatefold. A fold-out that is not in the center.
g-brk	gutter break The book was opened too far and the blocks of pages snapped apart at this point. IF there were loose or missing pages we would say that.
g/g	girl/girl. Two gals pose in same pictorial, but other than "hugs" there is no implied sex. Note: some early-work listings may use the term "lez", but as data entry continued we used g/g when there was no "action"; and lez only when there was simulated sex action.
GGA or gga	good girl art
GGB or ggb	good girl bound, or in any way "restrained" [art only]
good girl	usually in artwork, any non-villan female [but especially if she's "sexy" or "naughty"]
h or H	Hairy. If you dislike the modern 'shaved or trimmed' models, e-mail us for more advice on where to find hair. You can also enquire about an unlisted packet available exclusively at ACE.
hc	Hard Core ! We do not carry magazines that are all "full penetration" photos. But some otherwise softcore magazines may have a few HC photos. Consider "hc" as a notice/warning that some shots are explicit.
hor.	horizontal
HQ or hq	High Quality ! Referring to either the photographers' ability or the printing and the paper, often a combination of all 3 factors.
htf	hard to find. (most other dealers don't have this one)
hts	hard to see. (even less noticable than 'faint') for example, a bit of water was spilled on a white background area and immediately blotted dry, but someone with better eyesight than mine...
hvy	heavy! as in "hvy.sp.wear". The spine wear is severe. Probably split in so many small places it's a miracle the fc&bc are still connected and that the cover has not come off.
-i. or -inv.	found immediately after a person's name denotes an interview. IF with a "+" there is at least one partially nude photo of the person as well.
ibc or IBC	inside back cover
ICs	inside covers; both IFC and IBC.
IFC	inside front cover
illust.	illustration. [more of a diagram than scenic art]
imp.	impression. Usually a faint mark in a magazine cover made by a finger or thumb nail where the paper was gripped too roughly.
in.	inside, within.
ind.	indicia. The 'fine print' data (usually found in the early pages) of books and magazines which verifies printing date, copyright, etc.
ink	small initial or small note in ink.
int.	interior
Int'l	International
irr. or irreg.	irregular, not straight.
iss.	issue. (as in "Final iss.")
i/t	in the. [usually in a story title]
J.	refers to our genre group "Jest Fun". It was probably our shortest way to say that there are lots of "jokes and art-toons" in this issue.
k- or K.	kinky. Refers to our genre group "Kink-Fetish". It was probably our shortest way to say that there are some "kinky or fetish" pictorials or activities in this item. Could be as mild as high leather boots & holding a riding crop; or as severe as " oww, no, please no, o-w-w-w" in a book's text.
L.	left
l.r.	lower right
lg.	large
lite	more noticeable than "faint", but still not badly affecting the overall appearance.
LOCs	Letters Of Comment (or Concerns).
m or M	male or males. As in Ym (younger male) or 2f1m (2 females with 1 male).
MIPB or MIPW	Mint In Publisher's Bag. [or Wrapper] A magazine that was never removed from the publisher's bag or wrapper. Any unlikely flaws would have to have occurred at the printing or binding plant. This is guaranteed to be an unopened, unread copy !
mm	mass market
MM or M.M.	Marilyn Monroe
nm or NM	Near Mint. To quote a respected book dealer "vintage paper is never perfect", but this is the best we have ever seen. Unless you get out your magnifying glass, you are unlikely to find more than one tiny flaw, if that. Our " E " grade / priced items.
nn	not nude. Often the celebrity-model is fully clothed, or (at best) in under- wear or other scanty costume, not even a nipple showing, but maybe lots of skin.
NN	No Number.
N.O.S.	New Old Stock. Any out-of-print or out-of-production item that remained in the unsold inventory of a store or publishing company. Perhaps not "100% mint" due to minor handling or storage marks; but certainly NOT a second-hand or used item.
OFYM	Older Female w/ Younger Male[s]. You can re-arrange the letters.
open line	the usually straight line created in a cover when it is opened. How far away this line is from the sp-FC edge is often a matter of how much the spine's binding glue adhered to the IFC.
o/t	of the. [usually in a story title]
o/w	otherwise
p. or P.	Poster; if '2p.' or 'p.2' means 2-sided. When they come in/with/from a magazine they are always folded.
p-a	photo-article. Article or 'report' with pictures, usually "posed by professional models".
pc	photo cover. (with or without dots or dashes) so "bdg-pc" would be a bondage photo cover. "3-pc" would be a 3-some photo cover, etc.
peel	the colored surface of the paper is gone, leaving a white area, usually due to poorly done removal of a pricetag.
pencil	notes and/or page numbers in pencil
PG or pg	with NO dot[s] is a rather out-dated, but very short way of saying "pregnant".
pg.	page
pgs.	pages
pict.	pictorial. There are several shots or pages to a pictorial layout. See Also: 1s (at the top of this list, as are all "numbers")
p-lines	pressure lines. Lite to faint lines on the cover of a book or magazine that were either made by the printing press or by being stored against another misaligned item under considerable weight/pressure. See Also: "stresslines".
pro. or prof.	professional or professionally. Usually referring to restoration work done by an expert, or at least the use of proper materials from the binding industry.
Pt.	part
pu.	Pin-Up. We try very hard not to use this much-abused term unless the shot meets all of the following criteria : (listed in the order of their inflexibility) • the model must be alone in the shot, • it must be a full page (framing borders accepted), • no text on the model, preferably no large text anywhere except for possibly the model's name and/or a publisher's heading such as "Adam's Pin-Up For July". Please note that the shot may be a b&w if that is the "era".
Q.	refers to our genre group "Quim". It was probably our shortest way to say that there are a lot more than the usual number of "pussy close-ups" in this issue.
r.	right
r.c.	right center; about half way down the right edge.
rackbend[s]	Most older books & magazines were retailled in metal racks. When the shopper bent the front mag in a pocket forward to view the next one behind it, this made a horizontal stress line [usually short] on the front cover at the spine edge.
reg.	regular or straight.
re-ink	Most often seen on black background covers. The original owner or a second-hand store would "touch-up" the white flaws (rack bends, price tag peels, etc.) with a black marker. So long as this did not "penetrate" to the IFC, and does not seriously detract from the overall appearance of the cover, we feel it is a noteworthy flaw, but may not warrant an "A" grading.
rem.	remaindered. When a book or magazine does not sell at first retail it is often "marked" by the publishing company before it is sold by some later means. For Paperbacks - the usual method of marking is a saw cut either ¼ inch into the edge or one that rounds off a corner. For Magazines - it is a often a black stroke through the barcode.
res.	residue. Most frequently dried glue from old removal of a pricetag.
ring / rings	the item had a damp circular object set on it. Some are the size of a sweating drink tumbler, others are as small as 1 inch across. [Read "faint", if you have not already.]
s+	swap (swing) + 'whatever'. So s+Y would mean this book's storyline is about swinging-swapping, but there is also at least one Y active character (perhaps not part of the swap circle).
sep.	separation or separated.
shorts	short stories
sm.	small
sp.	spine
sp-BC	spine - backcover edge
sp-brk	spine break. This book was bent forward in a metal rack pocket so hard that the spine broke & tore across it's width-thickness. Often this has little or no effect on the read- ability and maybe very little effect on the appearance, but it is a noteworthy flaw.
sp-FC	spine - frontcover edge
sp. lines	the thin white lines running the length of the spine where the book was opened during reading.
sp. paper	the binding is NOT flawed, only the paper covering it.
ss	short short stories (usually 1 to 3 pages)
stkr.	sticker. Usually a pricetag or store ID applied to the front cover.
stresslines	Assume the prior owner sat on the item, this left lite lines in the cover that should NOT be thought of as creases because they are NOT visible on the other side of the paper.
t.c.	top center
t.l.	top left
t.r.	top right
TOC	Table of Contents page.
Thus	In this form. For example, a collection of short stories which first appeared separately in magazines, now appears for the first time in a paperback compilation. It IS a 'paperback original' in that it did not appear previously as a hardcover. And it IS a '1st printing' [if the paperback is] in this format.
un.	unread, unopened. This book's smooth spine, and other factors, make us quite certain it is not 'used'.
uncred.	uncredited.
un-id'd.	unidentified. The magazine probably does not give any name of the gal or photographer in question. Certainly not their real name.
usual	this is so common, in this Title / Line, it is not always mentioned.
v.	very
vg or VG	Very Good This is a term used by most book dealers for the exact middle grade. Then they add plus signs to indicate that it is shades better than VG. We sometimes use this to indicate that our book is the higher end of our "C" range. (VG/VG+/VG++/VG+++)
vert.	vertical
w/	with
w/o	without
wb [wb-ac]	why bother? thus wb-ac is an art cover that is 'nothing'.
w-bond	white bond paper pages (as opposed to beige pulp) unusual for paperbacks.
wrap-a / wraps	Sorry, this is a booksellers term we hate.... others mean "the covers" especially of paperbacks (hardcovers, they use the term "boards"). We use this term to mean that the art or photo on the cover " wraps around " from the front , across the spine and all across the back cover.
x or X	a single 'x' would indicate this work does contain sexually explicit scenes.... but (probably due to its vintage) the words are 'less explicit'. Example: " she lowered her mouth to envelop his manhood..."
XX or Xł	XX is more explicit than above; XXX is often abbreviated Xł and is (in books) an indication that if you open at any random page there is a graphic '4-letter words' sex scene. In photo-mags XXX means full penetration shown.
xfr	X-film review[s]. Please remember that due to space limitations we are unable to clarify between a "B-movie-with-some-T&A" and "hardcore XXX". Further, the full title does not always fit. IF you have doubts as to whether [e.g.] "Notorious C" is the movie "Notorious Cleopatra" for which you want the review and scenes, please send us an e-mail [ACEinfo@TimeWarp.com] or a "conditional order" and we will certainly confirm as fast as the workload permits.
xl-B	extra busty.
Y / Yf / yl	younger LOOKING, in photos, or stated "minor" in FICTION. See: f.

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