Books

Antiquarian & Rare Books: What to Record

Books printed before about 1850, incunabula, early printed books and rare books.

The Data Sheet for Antiquarian & Rare Books

The 35 fields worth recording for antiquarian & rare books, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to antiquarian & rare books.

Identification

Title Text Books: The title or name the object is known by, as given by its maker, publisher or catalogue.
Author Text Books: Author or editor, as on the title page.
Publisher Text Books: Publisher as on the title page or imprint.
Place of publication Text Books: Place of publication as on the title page.
Year published Text Books: Year of publication as printed or established, e.g. 1925, [1925], n.d. (c. 1890).
Edition Choice Books: Edition and printing; first editions are identified by the publisher's statements or the points in the bibliographies.
First edition, first printing
First edition, later printing
First edition thus
Later edition
Limited edition
Facsimile / reprint
Unknown
Edition points Text Books: Evidence of the edition and issue, e.g. number line 1-10, first state of the dust jacket, misprint on p. 11.
ISBN Text Books: ISBN-10 or ISBN-13 (books since about 1970).
Language Text Books: Language of the text.
Reference link Link Books: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
Bibliographic references Text: References in the standard bibliographies, e.g. ISTC, GW, VD16, ESTC, USTC.

Physical description

How the book is made and what it contains.

Binding Choice, or your own Books: Kind of binding.
Hardcover, cloth
Hardcover, paper boards
Full leather
Half / quarter leather
Vellum / parchment
Paperback
Wrappers / pamphlet
Spiral / comb
Unbound / in sheets
Dust jacket Choice Books: Presence of the dust jacket, which is a large part of the value of 20th-century first editions.
Original dust jacket
Later or facsimile dust jacket
No dust jacket
Not issued with a dust jacket
Format Choice Books: Size of the book in the booksellers' terms (by height).
Folio (over 30 cm)
Quarto / 4to (about 25 to 30 cm)
Octavo / 8vo (about 20 to 25 cm)
Duodecimo / 12mo (about 17 to 20 cm)
Sextodecimo / 16mo (about 15 to 17 cm)
Smaller
Oblong
Pages Text Books: Pagination and collation, e.g. xii, 320 pp., 24 plates.
Illustrations Text Books: Illustrations, plates and maps, with the illustrator.
Height (cm) Number Books: Height, measured upright as the object is meant to stand or hang.

Copy specifics

What makes this copy different from others.

Signed / inscribed Choice Books: Signatures and inscriptions; an association copy is inscribed to someone close to the author or the work.
Signed by the author
Inscribed by the author
Association copy
Signed by others
Not signed
Provenance marks Text Books: Bookplates, ownership inscriptions, library stamps and labels.
Limitation Text Books: Limitation statement, e.g. one of 500 numbered copies, this is no. 23.

Condition

Condition (book) Choice Books: Condition in the terms of the antiquarian book trade (AB Bookman's scale); describe faults in the notes.
As new
Fine
Near fine
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Ex-library
Binding copy
Condition (dust jacket) Choice Books: Condition of the dust jacket on the same scale.
As new
Fine
Near fine
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Condition notes Text Books: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Restoration & repairs Text Books: Restorations, repairs, replaced parts and cleaning, with who did them and when if known.

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Books: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Books: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Books: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Books: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Books: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Books: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Books: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Books: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Books: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Books: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Books: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.