Entry 02 · Methods on Record

The minimum record

Record each catalogue as one item. Write what is on the object first; add your own inferences separately, in square brackets, so a later reader knows which is which. The fields we use:

1. Issuer — the firm's name exactly as printed.
2. Title — cover title, plus any running title inside.
3. Edition or season — "Catalogue No. 112", "Spring and Summer".
4. Place — city of issue, from the imprint or address.
5. Date — printed or inferred, with the evidence noted.
6. Extent — page count, plates, inserts, order forms.
7. Dimensions — height × width in centimetres.
8. Process — letterpress, lithography, halftone, offset colour.
9. Condition — completeness, tears, brittleness, staining.
10. Provenance — stamps, inscriptions, where you acquired it.

Dating clues and the numbering scheme

Undated catalogues usually date themselves. Look for:

• Postal codes — US ZIP Codes were introduced in 1963; UK postcodes were rolled out between 1959 and 1974. Their presence sets a floor.
• Telephone numbers — named exchanges and short numbers point earlier; all-figure numbers later.
• Printing process — engraved cuts give way to halftone photographs from the late nineteenth century, then to full offset colour.
• Products and prices — a model number, a patent date or a tax mention can be checked against other sources.
• Company name changes — mergers and renamings are often well documented.

Number every item permanently and never reuse a number. Our format is CPN-entry-sequence, for example CPN-01-0042. Write it in soft pencil on the back cover or on the enclosure, never in ink on the item. Cite as: Issuer, Title, edition, place, date, item number.