Rare Books and Special Collections Group

Contents | Introduction | Description | Access | Notes

C.1: Introduction

This section provides guidance on describing, and giving access to, information on provenance and binding.

Although these guidelines refer to a minimum level and a higher level for both provenance and binding, the same levels need not be applied to both, and the levels applied to these need not correspond to those applied to general data. With the increased provision of high-level records from external sources, it is to be expected that some libraries cannot match this level for copy-specific information, and where libraries need to create their own records for books with important provenance information, they may wish to record local data to a higher level than the general data. But basic provenance and binding information should be provided if possible (cf. A.3.2).

C.2: Provenance

Provenance is concerned with the individuals or institutions who may have owned or handled a book up to and including the present time.²⁵ Provenance can be detected through various kinds of evidence, such as inscriptions, bookplates, personalized binding stamps, distinctive markings, and shelfmarks. Although the primary concerns of researchers are likely to be centered on the interpretation of the evidence — identifying owners and using the information in the wider concerns of collecting history and transmission of texts — they may also be interested in the form taken by that evidence.

C.2.1: The following MARC 21 fields are applicable:

C.2.1.1: 561 for ownership and custodial history, used for free-text notes describing provenance evidence. If binding evidence is being cited only for its provenance information (for example, an armorial binding), 561 — and not 563 — should be used. At all levels, it is important that standardized terminology is used in order to facilitate keyword searching. Libraries may wish to devise their own terminology, but the various published thesauri (cf. B.2.5) offer an obvious base. The order in which information is recorded should reflect, as far as possible, the chronological sequence of ownership, unless there are benefits in presenting the information in a different order. Information on the immediate source of acquisition may be kept separate, in 541.

C.2.1.2: 700/710 for added entry points for individual/institutional owners, including subfields for relator term or code (for example, ‘former owner’ or (not recommended) ‘fmo’) and library location symbol (cf. B.3.1). Headings should be established as for general data (cf. B.2.1).

C.2.1.3: 655 for headings to allow access to provenance evidence by classified categories, including subfield for library location symbol where appropriate (cf. B.2.5).

C.2.2: At the recommended minimum level, ownership evidence is briefly summarized. Each distinguishable former owner is referred to, but there is no requirement to transcribe inscriptions or describe evidence in detail. Approximate dates are given for each separate piece of evidence.

C.2.3: At the higher level, ownership evidence is described according to the following conventions:

• inscriptions are transcribed (rather than summarised) wherever feasible.
• bookplates are described according to standardized terminology; the wording is accurately and fully transcribed; anonymous heraldic bookplates are described according to their heraldic blazon; references are given to standard bibliographies (particularly Franks).²⁷
• each distinguishable piece of evidence is mentioned, with location in book and approximate date.
• Former shelfmarks are recorded, when apparent. Reference is made to published sources which describe the collection(s) of the owner(s) of the book. This is particularly important if the book being catalogued is cited in such a source.

C.2.4: At both levels, added entries with relator terms or codes should be made for each distinguishable former owner. In the case of collections or composite volumes sharing a provenance, the advantages of indexing that provenance via a single added entry for a collection-level record should be kept in mind, although provenance evidence should continue to be described at item level (cf. A.3.4).²⁸

C.2.5: Both levels may be enhanced by the additional use of genre headings to index provenance evidence by category. Depending on local needs and/or factors, libraries may decide to use genre headings alongside a minimum level of notes and added entries or not to use genre headings although using notes and added entries to the highest level.

C.2.6: Where notes are too extensive to be included as part of a catalogue record or where images are available, references could be made to other files, manual or electronic (reference to electronic files is allowed for in MARC 21 field 856)

Examples of provenance description:²⁹

• Example One: inscriptions (Plate 1)
• Example Two: inscriptions and stamps (Plates 2 & 3)
• Example Three: inscriptions and bookplates (Plates 4 & 5)

C.3: Binding

Binding is concerned with the covers in which the text-block of the book has been circulated and used. Until the early 19th century, books were individually bound subsequent to printing/writing, commonly by folding and sewing the leaves within boards covered with decorated leather, although many other less permanent structures have been used.

C.3.1: The following MARC 21 fields are applicable:

C.3.1.1: 563 for free-text notes describing binding evidence (cf. C.2.1.1). At all levels, it is important that standardized terminology is used in order to facilitate keyword searching. Libraries may wish to devise their own terminology, but the various published thesauri (cf. B.2.5) offer an obvious base.

C.3.1.2: 700/710 for added entry points for name of binder or firm, including subfields for relator term (for example, ‘binder’) and MARC library location symbol (cf. B.3.1). Headings should be established as for general data (cf. B.2.1). It should, however, be recognized that the vast majority of historical bindings are not thus attributable.

C.3.1.3: 655 for headings to allow access to binding evidence by classified categories, including subfield for library location symbol where appropriate (cf. B.2.5).

C.3.2: At the recommended minimum level, the nature of the binding is briefly described. The description should include the following elements:

• colour and nature of the covering material.
• summary description of decoration (for example, ‘blind-tooled’, ‘gold-tooled’).
• approximate date.

C.3.3: At the higher level, the nature of the binding is more fully described. The description should include the following elements:

• colour and nature of the covering material.
• nature of boards (for example, wood, pasteboard).
• description of decoration.
• approximate date.
• country of production (or place, if known).
• binder, if determinable.
• reference is made to published sources which refer to or reproduce either the binding being described, bindings to which it is clearly closely related (for example, by sharing the same tools), or particular tools used on the binding.

Optional enhancements at this level may include: