A quarto (plural: quartos) is a book or pamphlet made up of one or more large sheets of paper, folded once and cut to form four leaves (that is, eight pages). It is a large book.
The term quarto as applied to such books is generally abbreviated to q. To distinguish a quarto from other sized books, a quarto is typically called a folio, octavo or quarto, depending on the number of leaves it has.
Quarto books were a common format in England from about 1500 to 1650, when they were gradually replaced by octavo books. Many of Shakespeare’s plays were first printed in quarto, and several of them exist only in these early editions.
Quarto is also a technical term used in printing and publishing. A sheet of paper folded once to make four pages is a quarto sheet. This sheet is then cut into four pages, each page being one-quarter the size of the original sheet.
Quarto size paper is often used for small books, brochures, and pamphlets. It is also used for some magazines, such as The New Yorker.
The term “quarto” can also be used to refer to the particular format of a book. A quarto book is usually made up of four leaves (eight pages), with each leaf being one-quarter the size of a standard sheet of paper. This results in a book that is typically around 9 inches by 6 inches (23 cm by 15 cm).
Quarto has been an important player in the book and publishing industry for centuries. From its early days as a small family business to its current status as a global leader, Quarto has always been at the forefront of innovation and change. Today, Quarto is a key player in the digital transformation of the book and publishing industry, and its products and services are essential to the success of publishers and authors around the world.