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Choice of the main title

Hierarchy

Works often contain different title pages, with different spellings or wordings of the title. To achieve uniformity in the bibliographical descriptions, a strict hierarchy is established to identify the main title of the work. This has the advantage, both for the cataloguer as for the user, that there is no doubt about the choice of main title if there are for example multiple title pages present in a publication.

The hierarchy is as follows:

1. Cover title or collective title on a separate, so-called collective typographical title page for multi-volume works. If there is only an engraved collective title page present, then the preference goes to the typographical title page of the first volume.
2. Title on the typographical title page
3. Title on the engraved title page
4. Title on the printed cover (very rare for Flemish imprints)
5. Title/caption above the text (not a title page in the strict sense of the word, the text starts immediately after the title on that same page)
6. Incipit (first meaningful words of the text itself)
7. Running title (title that is printed at the top of the page and repeated throughout the entire work)
8. Self-selected title on the basis of an earlier edition of the same work
9. Self-selected title on the basis of the half title, a mention in the prelims, in the privilege, in the approbation or elsewhere in the document
10. Self-selected title on the basis of the general contents of the work

General characteristics of a title page

File:Title page STCV 12860828 MPM A 2311.jpg

Title page
MPM A 2311 1# f. +2 recto
STCV 12860828

Not every page at the beginning of a work is a title page. Different elements are needed to consider a page a title page. Not all of those elements need to be present, but at a minimum a title page needs to contain a title. In some cases that title may be very vague. Other elements may be absent. In most cases, a title page will distinguish itself from the rest of the book by its layout and typography.


The title page may contain the following elements:

1. Title of the work
2. Author(s) of the work
3. Edition statement
4. Imprint
5. Printer's device
6. Ornaments and illustrations

These elements are treated in more detail later on in this section.

Pages with titles

Publications often contain different pages featuring a title or part of the title. We distinguish the following types:

Half title, French title, Schmutztitel or 'voortitel'

Often the first title page, which contains a highly condensed title. We mostly use the term 'half title' (also known as 'French title'). The German term 'Schmutztitel' refers to this page's function: since usually books in a bookshop weren't bound yet and the gatherings were stacked, the Schmutztitel at the top of the stack served as a protection against dust and dirt. The shortened title helped the bookseller to immediately see on which stack the requested book was. During the binding, this page was sometimes removed. A half title is never considered a title page.

File:Half title STCV 3121162 OB-Brugge 2755.jpg Half title OB-Brugge 2755 f. *1 recto STCV 3121162

Frontispiece

A frontispiece is an illustration in the prelims that characterises the whole work and may, at most, contain a title or elements of the title. As soon as such an illustration also contains an author or information from the imprint, it is defined as an engraved title page. A frontispiece is never considered a title page. By definition, a frontispiece is an illustration, whereas a Schmutztitel or half title is never illustrated.

File:Frontispice STCV 6938956 SESA-Mechelen A 11815.jpg Frontispiece SESA-Mechelen A 11815 f. π1 recto STCV 6938956

Collective title page

This page contains a cover title or collective title. This type of title is often found in a multi-volume work or a work that, due to its extent, it published in multiple parts. Each part or volume usually has its own title page but at the front of the first volume, a collective title page is sometimes added later. Sometimes the title page of the first volume functions as a collective title page. In that case, this title page is sometimes of a more decorative layout/typography than the other title pages of the remaining volumes. We then consider this title page to be a collective title page.

File:Collective title page STCV 12894198 EHC F 215121.jpg Collective title page EHC F 215121 1# f. *1 recto STCV 12894198

Typographical title page

On a typographical title page, one or more elements are present in typography (moveable type). This does not mean there cannot be an engraving (illustration and/or engraved text), a woodcut or an ornament as well. As soon as typography is used on a title page, it is defined as a typographical title page.

File:Typographical title page STCV 12869899 EHC 541675.jpg Typographical title page EHC 541675 f. A1 recto STCV 12869899

Engraved title page

An engraved title page is a title page that is completely engraved, both the text and any potential illustrations. Not every engraved title page contains an illustration. Sometimes the engraved title page is cut out of the copy. Since engraved title pages are often printed separately, and therefore added to a gathering, it is not always clear whether there was or wasn't an engraved title page present.

File:Engraved title page STCV 12903830 UA RG 3072 F 6.jpg Engraved title page UA RG 3072 F 6 f. A1 recto STCV 12903830