Endpaper
Double-size sheet folded book paper
The endpapers or end-papers of a book (also known as the endsheets) are the pages that consist of a double-size sheet folded, with one half pasted against an inside cover (the pastedown), and the other serving as the first free page (the free endpaper or flyleaf). Thus, the front endpapers precede the title page and the text, whereas the back endpapers follow the text. Booksellers sometimes refer to the front endpaper as FEP.
Before mass printing in the 20th century, it was common for the endpapers of books to have paper marbling. Sometimes the endpapers are used for maps or other relevant information. They are the traditional place to put bookplates, or an owner's inscription.
There are many styles of endsheets or endpapers that are specifically designed for use with different bindings. For example, endsheets reinforced with cloth are used in sewn bindings. The cloth holds the stitches and prevents the paper from perforating and tearing.
Other styles are designed for use with perfect binders. Combined and Universal Endsheets are loaded into the cover feeder of an automatic perfect binder and attached, instead of the soft cover, automatically, producing a book block reinforced from head to tail. The Folded Tabbed End sheet is collated with the text pages, milled and bound along with the book block.
There are also many styles of endpapers that are engineered to meet textbook standards and library binding standards, as well as endsheets for conservation and book repair.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Endpaper”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Sammlung Brandes - Vorsatzpapiere und Ex Libris.tif by Frauke Proschek, Copyrighted free use
- Bok tryckt i Stockholm 1777 - Skoklosters slott - 86161.tif by author: Gadd, Per Adrian,, Public domain
- Marbled endpaper from Die Nachfolge Christi ed. Ludwig Donin (Vienna ca. 1875) 500ppi.jpg by Creator of the paper marbling unknown, but dead for more than 70 years; image scanned and sightly edited by Aristeas., Public domain
- PaperMarbling003France1880.jpg by Creator of the paper unknown. Scanned by Aristeas from a book in his own possession., Public domain
- End papers.jpg by Reginald Knowles, Public domain
Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.
