The Estienne editions collection of Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine: an experience of attribution and electronic cataloging

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to discuss the issues of scientific bibliographic registration and electronic cataloging of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine (VNLU) Estienne editions collection and to display appropriate problem-solving decisions. The methodology of the research comprises a descriptive analysis of the practical experience of copies from VNLU Ancient and rare books department collection attribution. Scientific novelty. The article defines bibliographic and informational sources that are helpful in the attribution of Estienne editions. The best practices used in the Ancient and rare books department of VNLU for solving problems of printer’s collection books attribution and electronic cataloging are described. Conclusions. The issues of Estienne collection editions attribution were connected with similar names of printers, existence of their namesakes; variants of printer’s mark and their usage by other printer’s; lack of printer’s mark or the information on place of edition in the particular copies of the collection. The printing house of the Estienne dynasty functioned from the 16th to the middle of the 17th cc. It included six generations of printers. In the 18th c., the other family with the surname Estienne had a printing house in Paris, but their books do not belong to the printing heritage of the prominent Estienne dynasty of 16-17th cc. The distinctive feature of Estienne’s editions was the recognizable printer’s mark with the olive tree image. However, this sign was not unique and had many variations. The VNLU Estienne collection presents ten variants of the Estienne printer’s mark with the olive tree. Besides the representatives of the Estienne dynasty, particular printers were entitled to use Estienne’s printer’s mark. The VNLU collection contains several editions of Paris printer Jacques Dugast and Geneva editions of brothers Chouet with the sign of olive tree on their title leaves. Proposed in the article solutions and results of Estienne printer’s heritage collection attribution may be used in further search of Estienne editions in the collections of other scientific libraries of Ukraine.

Keywords

• printer’s heritage collection, estienne, foreign old printed editions, history of book printing, collection of vernadsky national library of ukraine.