Over time, improper atmospheric and storage conditions can affect the delicate make up of paper. Depending on the quality of paper used, and time exposed to light and other factors, the paper loses its newness and brightness, and tends to exhibit what is called age-toning. Most antiquarian maps exhibit some level of age-toning, especially around the edges. See browning .

Term refers to old, rare, and out-of-print books. A loose term used by book collectors and dealers, alluding to books that are collectible rather than used.

A symbol, nearly always a shield bearing a coat-of-arms.

Term indicating that a map, print or book is in precisely the same condition as when it was originally published. For example when you see a description on a map as, 'uncoloured as issued', it means that the map or print is untouched by both contemporary and later colourists.

A book which belonged the author, someone close to the author, a famous or noteworthy person, or someone especially associated with the content of the work. Or could have been annotated by the author, or any of the others above. To have value, an association copy should have documentary evidence of its association. For a book, this could be a bookplate.

A bound assemblage of maps in a uniform format.