Checklist Single-Sheet Prints

When STCV was first started, single-sheet prints were excluded, just like they are in STCN. However, over time this has changed and a growing number of single-sheet prints are now in the STCV database. To accommodate this, a number of specific remarks and a little tweaking of the existing rules were deemed necessary. They are included in their relevant pages in this manual, but all of the necessary points are listed here as well for easy reference.

1 Title

The normal rules appy. The source-indication is 'document' (NOT 'title page'!) and possible options for the choice of title are:

• the often present title/caption above the text
• the incipit (if there is no 'title' above the text)
• if the title above the text is not unique and significant enough, a (possibly shortened) title and significant part of the incipit are chosen. This is often the case in government ordinances that start with a stereotypical form of address

2 Author(s)

The normal rules apply. Since the source-indication is 'document', only the main form of the authority record is recorded in the description. An accurate transcription is, however, entered as a variant form (reference term) of the relevant authority record for that author.

3 Edition statement

Edition statements on single-sheet prints are rare and were, so far, not found. In accordance with the rules, a possible edition statement with a 'document' source-indication is not recorded unless it contains information about translations.

4 Printer/publisher

Imprint details on single-sheet prints are usually found in the form of a colophon beneath the running text on the recto-side or (for single-sheet items that are printed on both sides) on the verso-side. The source-indication is therefore 'colophon' and follows the rules, so reference terms are used for the printer and the place of publication (if present) and with the date as '(col.YYYY)'. If a significant date is not found in the colophon but elsewhere in the text (e.g. in the title), the normal rules apply.

5 Collation

5.1 Determining bibliographic format

It is not always simple to determine bibliographical format for single-sheet prints. Larger formats such as plano's, folio's and quarto's are usually relatively simple, but the smaller single-sheet prints sometimes pose problems since the watermarks are often missing and the only indication therefore are chain lines. The normal rules are applied, meaning that if it is not possible to determine the correct format, the format field remains empty.

5.2 Pagination

If a single-sheet print is paginated or foliated, this is recorded as such (so "[1], [1 blank] p.", "2 p." or "1 f."). In many cases, however, there is no such indication meaning the pagination can only be given as "[1] f.".

5.3 Collation

If there is a quire signature, this is obviously recorded. Usually, this is not the case. The collation for an unsigned single-sheet print is then given as "[A]1" (and not "π1").

6 Annotation

When information about titles, authors, dates, etc. is taken from the document, this is given in a general note referring to the correct location for the information. This seems to be superfluous in the case of single-sheet prints since the STCV-user will, given the limited scope of the document, not have any problems tracking down the correct location. For single-sheet items only printed on one side, a specific note is given containing the dimensions of the type page. These data may be valuable in identifying different editions of a specific text. The note has the following fixed form:

"Single-page print; type area A x B mm"

in which A is the vertical distance between the top and bottom most point of the type page (the height), expressed in millimetres, and B the horizontal distance in mm between the most left and most right point of the type page (the width). The STCV-cataloguer measures both distances as precisely as possible.

7 Fingerprint

7.1 The year-format code

Since a single-sheet print has no title page, the year-format code will always start with "0000" followed by the two digits for the bibliographic format. If it is impossible to determine this last element, two zero's are given here. A year-format code of "000000" is therefore possible.

7.2 The fingerprint position

Only one position can be recorded for a single-sheet print since only the recto-side is used. The position-indicator will therefore always be "b1=b2". If a usable signature is present, this is obviously used for recording a normal fingerprint. In many cases, such a signature is not present and an alternative fingerprint needs to be taken. Alongside the usual rules, the following points require attention: - a potential colophon is never used to take an alternative fingerprint. The use of 'standing type' for this colophon might result in a great number of editions (e.g. series of ordinances) to have identical fingerprints. The fingerprint is therefore always taken from the third word of the last line of the actual text. - if this third word is not suitable for taking a fingerprint, the penultimate line of text is used instead, and one moves one line up until a suitable line/word is found for taking a fingerprint. - text on single-page prints is often divided in columns. The fingerprint is taken in the first column on the left of the page, even when one or more other columns continue lower down the page. When the last line of this first column is unsuitable for taking a fingerprint, we move to the penultimate line of that first column, not to other columns.

8 Keywords

Keywords are given in the same way as in other STCV descriptions. A few remarks:

• a single-sheet print has no title page and no preliminary matter. Potential illustrations, maps of coats of arms are therefore always 'within collation' and in the main body of the text, so with the descriptors t03x.
• special attention is required in using a descriptor for the title page. It is possible here to make a distinction between single-sheet prints that are only printed on one side and those that are printed on both sides:
  • one-sided single-sheet prints receive the note "Single-page print: type area A x B mm" and the descriptor t221 for "single-page print"
  • double-sided single-sheet prints receive the descriptor t220 (no title page)