[DCRM-L] Transcription of "VV" in engraved text: DCRM(B/G) and RBMS PS

[Matthew C. Haugen]

During some weekend Netflix browsing, I saw an example of "V V" in place of
W in a graphic, so I thought I'd share it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4263482/mediaviewer/rm2328686080

The movie poster for this recent period horror movie reads "The VVitch: a
New England Folk Tale," using two Vs. According to the movie's website, it
is set in the 1630s in New England, and the movie's website also uses the
VV in images, though the text and URL otherwise use w to refer to the
film's title.  http://thewitch-movie.com/

I have not seen the film but I assume this is a stylistic choice to imitate
letterpress of the era.

Though the image shows "VV," Netflix transcribed this as the intended
letter W in their metadata, and a search for "vvitch" returns no results (I
guess they don't implement variant titles). IMDB however gives "The Witch"
as the title but also provides "VVitch" as a variant, so searches under
both spellings retrieve the film.

Matt

On Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 5:39 PM, Matthew C. Haugen <
matthew.haugen at columbia.edu> wrote:

> It would seem that approximation of less common letters using available
> letterforms (v+v or r+v as w, l+r as k etc.) is a phenomenon particular to
> letterpress, and I think it makes sense to no longer treat v + v as an
> exception to transcribing the intended letter.
>
> Here is one example of "V V" in manuscript that's intended as a W,
> specifically in imitation of the same in print. It is a manuscript
> replacement title page for the VVhole Booke of Psalmes (1640 Bay Psalm
> Book, in the Library of Congress collection):
> https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbc0001.2008amimp02405/?sp=4T
>
> I suppose it is possible that an engraver, woodcutter, lithographer, etc.
> would similarly imitate letterpress conventions for stylistic reasons, much
> like both letterpress and engravings have imitated manuscript conventions,
> and probably this might show up in facsimiles of letterpress produced by
> other methods, but I'm not able to find any examples readily.
>
> My hunch would be for the PS to have the same transcription outcome (i.e.
> the intended letter) regardless of format and whether it's letterpress or
> in imitation thereof, though this seems mostly hypothetical given the lack
> of examples, and I don't really work with graphics, so I don't have strong
> opinions.
>
> Matt
>
> On Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 11:29 AM, Lapka, Francis <francis.lapka at yale.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Can anyone think of a non-letterpress example where we’d apply the
>> guideline on approximated characters? If not, I see the sense in revising
>> “characters” to “letters [or characters / pieces] of type.”
>>
>>
>>
>> I think we’d want to apply the same guidance to all formats.
>>
>>
>>
>> Francis
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* DCRM-L [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] *On Behalf Of *Mascaro,
>> Michelle
>> *Sent:* Monday, December 18, 2017 11:50 AM
>> *To:* DCRM Users' Group <dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [DCRM-L] Transcription of "VV" in engraved text:
>> DCRM(B/G) and RBMS PS
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks for your comment and question, Erin.  For the case you describe,
>> where the artist or printmaker deliberately drew or engraved two v’s, I
>> think you could make the case that vv, versus w, are the artist’s intended
>> characters and transcribed them as is.
>>
>>
>>
>> I would be open to adopting G’s wording and change “character” to
>> “letters of type,” to add a level of clarity for this situation.   The
>> followup question I have: should making this distinction between
>> letterpress and non-letterpress vv be a still image only exception, or
>> apply to all formats?  (I.e., Is there a reason we would want a different
>> transcription outcome for engraved title pages within a book, versus art
>> prints?)
>>
>>
>>
>> Michelle
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* DCRM-L [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu
>> <dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu>] *On Behalf Of *Erin Blake
>> *Sent:* Friday, December 15, 2017 1:18 PM
>> *To:* DCRM Users' Group <dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>
>> *Subject:* [DCRM-L] Transcription of "VV" in engraved text: DCRM(B/G)
>> and RBMS PS
>>
>>
>>
>> Does it matter if the "VV" you're transcribing is letterpress or not?
>> DCRM(B) makes no distinction, but DCRM(G) specifies that this applies when
>> pieces of type are used to approximate other letters.
>>
>>
>>
>> Under DCRM, it doesn't make a difference: if an artist or printmaker
>> deliberately drew or engraved two v's to make a visual joke about a w (for
>> example), it would be transcribed as two v's because you transcribe what
>> you see. But the RBMS PS Draft says the drawn or engraved vv would have to
>> be transcribed as w.
>>
>>
>>
>>    - DCRM(B) 0G7.2 says: Transcribe two letters used to approximate a
>>    third letter as the intended letter. However, transcribe *vv* as *vv*
>>
>>
>>
>>    - DCRM(G) 0G7.3 says: Transcribe two letters of type used to
>>    approximate a third letter as the intended letter. However, transcribe
>>    letterpress *vv* as *vv*
>>
>>
>>
>>    - RBMS PS Draft 2017-12-13 says: Transcribe characters used to
>>    approximate a different character (e.g., when *VV* and *vv*
>>    letterforms have been used to represent the single letter *W* or *w*)
>>    as the intended character
>>
>>
>>
>> I can't think of an example where an engraved VV is means as a "W" (just
>> examples where engraved majuscule VV would be converted to miniscule vu, as
>> in this title page (book only has an engraved title page):
>> http://librarymedia.nga.gov/library/1024/352231/352231_002_cor.jpg
>> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__librarymedia.nga.gov_library_1024_352231_352231-5F002-5Fcor.jpg&d=DwMFAg&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=jrWJXl6NwKnAswBXMUyz4gwgwml2Fnao_95lEQ2zkjY&m=64INgyb9PFLYF0yiX2ijAcJWAeaMLuBXmJCGc2kFdgk&s=QTlKtbiBdwafX0my1UOGvgLu4IFT3n8T5YbSSQEeQVI&e=>
>>
>>
>>
>> Erin.
>>
>>
>>
>> ________
>>
>>
>> Erin C. Blake, Ph.D.  |  Head of Collection Information Services  |
>>  Folger Shakespeare Library  |  201 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC,
>> 20003
>> <https://maps.google.com/?q=201+E.+Capitol+St.+SE,+Washington,+DC,+20003&entry=gmail&source=g>
>>  |  eblake at folger.edu  |  office tel. +1 202-675-0323 <(202)%20675-0323>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
>
> --
> Matthew C. Haugen
> Rare Book Cataloger
> 102 Butler Library
> Columbia University Libraries
> E-mail: matthew.haugen at columbia.edu
> Phone: 212-851-2451 <(212)%20851-2451>
>
>


-- 

-- 
Matthew C. Haugen
Rare Book Cataloger
102 Butler Library
Columbia University Libraries
E-mail: matthew.haugen at columbia.edu
Phone: 212-851-2451
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