J — Abbreviations for creators, publishers, printers, etc.
| Abbreviation | Full form | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| a.f., aq., aqt., aqua., aquaf. | aqua forti or aquaforti fecit | etched by |
| A.P. | artist’s proof | printed for the artist’s personal use at the same time as the regular edition, but not numbered as part of it |
| APDR | avec privilège du roi | French privileges until 1792 |
| aq:tinta. | aquatinta | aquatinted by |
| B.A.T. | bon à tirer | fit to print (no more changes or corrections need to be made on the matrix) |
| cae., cael. | caelavit | engraved by |
| comp. | composuit | designed by (e.g., person who made a drawing for an engraver to work from) |
| CPR | cum privilegio regis | French privileges until 1792 |
| CPES | cum privilegio Excellentissimi Senatus | Venetian privilege |
| CPSCM | cum privilegio sacrae Caesaris Maiestatis | privileges within the jurisdiction of the Holy Roman Emperors |
| del., delt., delin. | delineavit | drawn by |
| deping., depingeb. | depingebat | painted or depicted by |
| desig. | designavit | designed or drawn by |
| dess. | dessiné | drawn by |
| direx. | direxit | directed by |
| divulg. | divulgavit | published by |
| E.A.A.C. | Entered According to Act of Congress | copyright in the U.S. |
| effig. | effigiavit | drawn by |
| engd., eng. | engraved or engraver | engraved by |
| ex., exc., exct., excud. | excudit | published or printed by |
| fac. | faciebat | made by |
| f., fec., fect. | fecit | made by |
| fig. | figuravit | drawn by |
| gedr. zu | gedruckt zu | printed at |
| gez. | gezeichnet | drawn by |
| H.C. | hors commerce | not for sale |
| imp. | impressit | printed by |
| inc., incid. | incidit or incidebat | engraved by |
| in., inv. | invenit | designed by |
| lith., litho., lithog. | lithographed by | drawn on stone or published on stone by |
| ph sc. | photosculpsit | photo‐engraved by |
| ping., pins., pinx., pinxt. | pingebat or pinxit | painted by |
| scrip. | scripsit | engraved text by |
| sc., sculp., sculps., sculpt. | sculpebat or sculpsit | engraved or etched by |
Bibliography
Gascoigne, Bamber. How to Identify Prints. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986.
Griffiths, Antony. Prints and Printmaking. London: British Museum Press, 1996.
Philadelphia Print Shop. Glossary of Printmaking Nomenclature and Abbreviations, 2005, http://www.philaprintshop.com/abbrtb.html
Zigrosser, Carl, and Christa M. Gaehde. A Guide to the Collecting and Care of Original Prints. New York: Crown Publishers, 1965.
