[DCRM-L] B3: query for those experienced with books signed with Greek characters

[Carpenter, Jane]

I think Randy makes a good point--the DCRMB 7B9.9 example includes uppercase Greek characters.  Signatures in uppercase Greek letters are not all that rare (e.g., Etymologicum magnum (1499), the Giunta Lysis (1551), Theodoret's Dialogi tres contra quasdam haereses (1547)).  I'd like to see a chart with both upper and lower case Greek characters, as well as the Greek name of each letter.  

Jane Carpenter
Special Collections Cataloger
UCLA Library Special Collections  

-----Original Message-----
From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Joseph Ross
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 7:31 AM
To: rbrandt at library.berkeley.edu; DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] B3: query for those experienced with books signed with Greek characters

Randy,

The answer for Hebrew signatures is very easy.  There is no distinction between upper and lower case Hebrew letters.  For Greek, I have only seen lower-case alphabetic letters for numerals, and it would really seem odd to me if they were given in upper case letters.  I can try to find some examples from my earlier research to verify this.  

Joe Ross
Rare Books Cataloger
University of Notre Dame

-----Original Message-----
From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Randal Brandt
Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2011 4:47 PM
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] B3: query for those experienced with books signed with Greek characters
Importance: High

Thanks, Deborah, for posing this query. The second part of my question
was: Might this also apply to 7B9.10 for Hebrew signatures? B1/2 only gives lowercase Hebrew equivalents. Should B3 include uppercase Hebrew?


> Randy Brandt added this query to the DCRM Editorial Guidelines:
>
> (B)7B9.9: RSB note: It would be nice to have a chart showing 
> upper-case letters; the only book I've ever cataloged with Greek 
> signatures had them in all caps; this chart of lower-case equivalents was not useful.
> Could the same be applied to 7B9.10?
>
>
>
> Manon, Erin and I discussed replacing the lowercase Greek characters 
> in the chart with Greek caps. Does Randy's experience coincide with 
> others'? Even if you've only cataloged one such book. Since Greek 
> numbers are formed from Greek alphabetic characters, it would be good 
> to have it confirmed that the book is signed with Greek alpha rather 
> than numeric characters.
>
>
>
> Deborah J. Leslie, M.A., M.L.S. | Head of Cataloging, Folger 
> Shakespeare Library
>
> djleslie at folger.edu <mailto:djleslie at folger.edu>  | 202.675-0369 | 
> www.folger.edu
>
>
>
>


--
Randal Brandt
The Bancroft Library
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu
rbrandt at library.berkeley.edu