cropped ☜☞ cortado


Generally, sueltas were 4-6 gatherings (one sheet per gathering) and sold folded twice, hence quarto format. In the normal course of events, the buyer would take this purchase (one suelta or several) to be bound. In the process of binding, the edges of the pages were neatly cut off, leaving an adequate margin on three sides. If the volume was rebound, there was further trimming, making the margin narrower. Cropping or cropped refers to the excessive cutting down of the margins. The most egregious cropping resulted in the loss of the running header at the top, and/or loss of catchwords and text at the bottom.
  • The plow (a bookbinder's tool with a very sharp blade) cut the running header at an angle, almost obliterating the second part of Calderon's name.

    Apolo y Climene

    [Private collection SzT]

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