Time Warp Collectibles

Shortforms and 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.
[!]	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.
$	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	the original cover price has been "punched" or "scratched" out.
$tag	pricetag or "original cover price".
^ or ^^	"above" or if doubled, look 2 listings above (prior). It was very hard to utilize the more familiar ditto mark as that is identical to quotemarks that are often misread by the 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.
&	"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.
*	"asterisk". Find another star symbol in the listing for related details.
=	"equals". Often used as even shorter than "aka". As in: Coffey=Koontz.
+	"plus sign". IF located between words, it means "next bit of detail". IF followed by a number, Requiem +5, there are 5 more stories. IF at the end, it means "more items, but not enough space to list".
±	"more or less". IF referring to a Focus/Genre such as [SF ą] it is likely a story which has SF elements but it is not strictly that. We always liked the term "Improbable Fiction" but it was too many characters to fit in the field. 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: "Rivere=Nuetzel?"... we know Rivere is the listed author, but is it really a pen-name for Nuetzel in this work?
>	"more than". As in "more than 100 of the world's best SF short stories".
[20K]	20,000 [words] - approximate story length
a/o	"author of"
a/t	"at the" [usually in a story title]
actually	"the listed author's name is a pseudonym for..." See Also: a.k.a. and = [equals sign]
a'd	autographed
ad	advertisement
a.k.a. or aka	"also known as". If in capitals, same meaning.
approx.	approximately
b.c.	in lower case letters (and with dots) means "bottom center"
BC	in capital letters means "Back Cover"
BCs or bcs	Both Covers. [outer front and back]
b.l.	bottom left
b.r.	bottom right
B&W or b&w	black and white
base	bottom
bdg.	bondage. May be only ONE piece of artwork, but someone is tied up. If you find this offensive, you should not order this item. See "DiD"
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 ¼" square range [5-6mm].
BTA	Better Than Average. [at least for this title / series]
c. or ctr.	center
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	centerfold. If it does NOT 'fold out' it is a cs.
CFO or 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.
completes	the whole story is here. (the opposite of a "serial")
concl.	conclusion
cor.	corner
corS.	corners
cr.	crease
crs.	creases
cr+tr	crease with tear. The crease was bent so often it split along part of the crease.
CS or cs	centerspread. Usually one picture printed on the two center pages of a magazine. See Also: CF.
DiD	"damsel in distress" [usually art]
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 not be offered for sale.
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.
edgewear	the wear along the very outermost edges of a cover. The top, bottom, and sides of the spine ARE also "edges".
Ep. or eps.	episode or episodes (as in TV series)
esp.	especially
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".
FC or fc	front cover
foxed or foxing	a term for the darkening / browning of old paper.
fp	full page. Example: Frank Paul fp art.
good girl	usually in artwork, any non-villan female [but especially if she's "sexy" or "naughty"]
GGA	"good girl art"
GGB	"good girl bound", or in any way "restrained" [art]
HQ or hq	High Quality ! Referring to either the photographers' ability or the printing and paper, often a combination of all 3 factors.
hor.	horizontal
-i. or -inv.	found immediately after a person's name denotes an interview.
i/t	"in the" [usually in a story title]
IBC or ibc	inside back cover
ICs	inside covers; both IFC and IBC.
IFC or 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.
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).
long or longs	usually called a 'novelette', this is our space-saving term for "longer than a short story". Many of these were later reworked by their authors into full novels. Valued as the true first printings, they offer great insight into the development of an idea from outline to 'long' to full novel.
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
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 "mint" due to minor handling or storage marks; but certainly NOT a "second-hand" or "used" item.
o/t	"of the" [usually in a story title]
o/w	otherwise
o'laps or overlaps	the edges of the pulp covers which originally extended up to ¼" beyond the interior pages of the PULP magazine.
o'line or 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.
out	Especially when shown with an asterisk [ out ] that relates to a price [$3]; there is something that is missing [most commonly the CS/CF] from the 'A' copy. The condition is likely very good otherwise, or we would not offer an incomplete issue even for an extremely low cost.
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.	page
pgs.	pages
presslines	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
r.	right
r.c.	right center; about half way down the right edge.
rackbend[s]	Most 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] at the spine-FC edge.
reg.	regular or straight. As in "reg. openline".
re-ink	Most often seen on black background covers. The original owner or a second-hand store would "touch-up" the small 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 the 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.]
sep.	separation or separated.
shorts	short stories
sm.	small
sp.	spine
sp-bc	spine - backcover edge
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.
usual	this is so common, in this Title / Line, it is not always mentioned.
v.	very
vert.	vertical
w/	with
w/o	without

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