[DCRM-L] Collational formula query

[Noble, Richard]

[cc'd to DCRM-L as a nice example of copy-specific evidence that
contributes to information about the manifestation
as a whole.]

Hi Eric,

Having googled to get a face, I do indeed remember you, though I can't
remember which ADB year you were in--but no matter, I remain fair game ever
after, till I'm discarded in the Ultimate Game.

What you've got is a misbound book. The last sheet as printed consisted of
one half containing 2Q^4, the other half being 2†^2 and a blank bifolium (a
gift to the binder: waste paper is valuable, unless you're a binder too
lazy or unobservant to harvest it) . This is useful evidence, and you
should cite it in a general note that describes your copy, e.g. "Gatherings
2†^2 and 2Q^4 machined together as parts of a single a sheet containing a
further blank bifolium: Ohio State University copy misbound with the
undivided sheet at the end." (*No* $5 at the end of the note--it's general.)

A correct ideal copy description (what you owe the catalogue) will simply
have the formula †^4 2†^2 A-2P^8 2Q^4 -- a correctly bound copy does not
require the blank leaves. If you were writing, as I routinely do, a Rare
Book School style collational note, you could append the information to it,
to make a complete structural information note.

This is a nice illustration of the distinction between the issue formula,
giving the structure of a correctly assembled copy, and the printing
formula, representing the book as it stood in sheets before binding.

Anomalous copies like yours are a special treat. I would gladly trade, for
your nice book, the sammelband of early c20 printings of Arabic occult
texts that I'm working on right now. No conundra in that case, just
ignorance trying to cover its tracks. Responding to your inquiry made for a
welcome break.

A Happy New Year, and many happy returns of it, to you.

Richard


RICHARD NOBLE :: RARE MATERIALS CATALOGUER :: JOHN HAY LIBRARY
BROWN UNIVERSITY  ::  PROVIDENCE, R.I. 02912  ::  401-863-1187
<Richard_Noble at Br <RICHARD_NOBLE at BROWN.EDU>own.edu>

On Mon, Jan 4, 2016 at 4:39 PM, Johnson, Eric <johnson.4156 at osu.edu> wrote:

> Hi Richard,
>
>
>
> I hope you remember me, but after so many students in your RBS intro to
> and advanced Des Bib courses I won’t at all be surprised if you don’t! I’m
> Eric Johnson, a tall, red-headed, glasses-wearing rare books guy (currently
> Curator of RBMS at Ohio State). I’ve been putting your teaching to good use
> in a variety of capacities, and in most cases I’ve been able to figure out
> what I need to do with pesky problems based on my notes from class, and
> frequent recourse to Bowers, et al., for particularly thorny issues. I’ve
> just come up against one, however, that I’m hoping you might be able to
> help me with. I know what’s going on with the volume and its sheets, I’m
> just uncertain how to represent it in a collational formula. Here’s the
> case:
>
>
>
> The book is volume 1 of a 2-volume *Don Quixote* printed in Spain in
> 1697. For the most part, the collation is pretty straightforward, offering
> us this:
>
>
>
> †8(superscript) A-2P8(superscript)
>
>
>
> After this basic formulation we should have 2Q4(superscript). However, we
> have two bifolia added to this gathering in an inopportune manner—a blank
> and unsigned bifolium and a single bifolium signed 2†1 and 2†2. The whole
> batch of 2Q, blank, and 2† bifolia is sequenced in the following way:
>
>
>
> 2Q1
>
> Chi1
>
> 2†1
>
> 2Q2
>
> 2Q3
>
> 2†2
>
> Chi2
>
> 2Q4
>
>
>
> If I wanted to make this final gathering intelligible in a collation, is
> there a convenient way to do so? Incidentally, the 2† signature should’ve
> been bound after the first † gathering (catchwords between †, 2† and A all
> match).
>
>
>
> I know you’re busy with your own conundra, so please don’t break your back
> trying to get me an answer. But any help you can provide will be most
> appreciated.
>
>
>
> Thanks for your time, and happy new year!
>
>
>
> Eric
>
>
>
> Eric J. Johnson, Ph.D.
>
> Associate Professor and Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts
>
> Rare Books & Manuscripts Library
>
> The Ohio State University Libraries
>
> 119A Thompson Library
>
> 1858 Neil Avenue Mall
>
> Columbus, OH 43210
>
>
>
> Tel: 614-688-8795
>
> Fax: 614-688-8417
>
>
>
> www.facebook.com/RBMSatOSU
>
>
>
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