A photograph without a label is a mystery. A photograph with a label is evidence. Shelvd's image system lets you upload as many photographs as you need per book and assign each one a specific book part label — so anyone looking at your catalog knows exactly what they're seeing.
The Six Groups
The 51 labels are organized into six groups, called matter categories. These follow the physical structure of a book, front to back, with two extra groups for illustrations and everything else.
Physical — The outside of the book: front cover, spine, back cover, endpapers, and dust jacket. This is what you see before you open it.
Front matter — Everything before the main text begins: half title, title page, frontispiece, dedication, contents, foreword, preface, acknowledgment, introduction, prologue, and the front colophon (found in fine press editions).
Body — The main text: volume pages, chapter pages, and the first page of text. You'll photograph these less often, but they matter for multi-volume sets and books with decorative chapter openings.
Back matter — Everything after the main text: epilogue, afterword, conclusion, postscript, appendix, glossary, bibliography, index, colophon (the traditional kind, at the back), errata, and postface.
Illustration — Twelve types, from woodcut to photogravure. When a book's illustrations are part of its value — and for antiquarian books, they often are — labeling the technique tells the buyer what they're getting.
Other — The catchall: damage details, loose inserts, overview shots, slipcases, and provenance evidence. These are the images that don't belong to any page but are essential for honest cataloging.
Why Labels Matter
A listing with six unlabeled photographs forces the buyer to guess. "Is that a foxing detail or just bad lighting?" "Which endpaper is this?" "Is this the front or back of the dust jacket?"
Labels eliminate guessing. When your images say "Front endpaper (FEP)" and "Damage detail" and "Dust Jacket — Front," the buyer can evaluate the book without asking questions. Questions are friction. Friction kills sales.
For insurance purposes, labeled images create a visual inventory that an appraiser or loss adjuster can work with. "Frontispiece: present" is worth more than a folder of unnamed JPEGs.
What to Photograph (The Practical Guide)
For Every Book (Minimum)
- Front cover — The identification image. Shows binding material, title stamping, and overall condition.
- Spine — The part buyers see on a shelf. Title, author, any gilt work. Also the part most likely to be sunned, faded, or cracked.
- Title page — The bibliographic source of truth. For antiquarian books, this is non-negotiable.
For Books You're Selling
Add to the minimum:
- Back cover — Boards condition, labels, bumping.
- Front endpaper — Where bookplates, inscriptions, and bookseller labels live.
- Dust jacket (front and back) — If present. For post-1920 first editions, the jacket can account for most of the book's market value.
- Any defects — Use the "Damage detail" label. Close-ups of foxing, tears, wormholes, water stains, rebacking evidence. Honesty here saves you returns and builds reputation.
For Valuable or Rare Books
Add to the above:
- Frontispiece — If present. A missing frontispiece reduces value; documenting its presence protects yours.
- Colophon — Edition numbers, printer's marks, limitation statements.
- Provenance evidence — Bookplates, stamps, signatures, monograms, auction lot labels. Link these to a provenance entry for full context.
- Binding details — Raised bands, gilt tooling, clasps, ties. The craftsmanship that makes fine bindings fine.
- Slipcase or box — If present. Enclosure condition affects overall grading.
For Illustrated Books
Use the specific illustration labels: woodcut, wood engraving, etching, metal engraving, lithograph, tinted lithograph, halftone, copper engraving, photogravure, hand-colored, or the generic B&W and color options. If you know the technique, say so — it demonstrates expertise and adds value to the listing.
The 51 Labels
Physical (8)
| Label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Front Cover | Front board and covering material |
| Front endpaper (FEP) | Pastedown and free front endpaper — home of bookplates and inscriptions |
| Spine | The narrow joining edge — title, author, condition |
| Endpaper | Rear pastedown and free endpaper |
| Back Cover | Rear board |
| Dust Jacket — Front | Front panel of the wrapper |
| Dust Jacket — Back | Back panel |
| Dust Jacket — Complete | Full unfolded wrapper showing all panels and flaps |
Front Matter (12)
| Label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Half title | Leaf before the title page with only the short title |
| Title page | The principal identification page |
| Colophon (front) | Production statement in fine press editions |
| Frontispiece | Illustration facing the title page |
| Dedication | Author's dedication to a person or institution |
| Epigraph | Opening quotation setting the theme |
| Contents | Table of contents |
| Foreword | Introductory text by someone other than the author |
| Preface | Author's own introductory statement |
| Acknowledgment | Author's thanks |
| Introduction | Subject introduction (author or editor) |
| Prologue | Opening narrative section |
Body (3)
| Label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Volume Page | Opening page of a volume in a multi-volume set |
| Chapter Page | Opening page of a chapter, often with decorative initials |
| First Page | First page of text proper, after all preliminary matter |
Back Matter (12)
| Label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Epilogue | Concluding narrative section |
| Extro / Outro | Closing section addressing the reader |
| Afterword | Commentary added after the main work |
| Conclusion | Summary of findings (academic works) |
| Postscript | Addition written after the main work |
| Appendix / Addendum | Supplementary material |
| Glossary | Alphabetical list of terms |
| Bibliography | Works cited or consulted |
| Index | Alphabetical subject guide |
| Colophon (back) | Traditional back colophon — printer, date, device |
| Errata | List of corrections |
| Postface | Essay at the very end, sometimes added to later editions |
Illustration (12)
| Label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Woodcut | Cut from the plank side of wood — bold, high contrast (15th c. onward) |
| Wood Engraving | Cut from the end grain — fine lines, cross-hatching (1790s onward) |
| Etching | Acid-bitten metal plate — soft, flowing lines |
| Metal Engraving | Burin-engraved plate — precise, clean lines |
| Copper Engraving | The most common intaglio technique in early books |
| Lithograph | Printed from stone or metal — tonal effects, crayon textures |
| Tinted Lithograph | Lithograph with a flat tint stone for depth |
| Halftone | Photomechanical dot screen — dominant from the 1880s |
| Photogravure | Intaglio process — rich, velvety tones |
| Hand Colored | Watercolor or gouache applied by hand — each copy unique |
| B&W Illustration (generic) | Unidentified black and white technique |
| Color Illustration (generic) | Unidentified color technique |
Other (5)
| Label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Damage detail | Close-up of specific damage or wear |
| Loose insert | Material found in the book: letters, clippings, errata slips |
| Overview | Full view showing overall size and condition |
| Slipcase / Box | Protective enclosure |
| Provenance evidence | Bookplates, stamps, labels not tied to a specific page |
Uploading and Labeling in Shelvd
Setting a Default Label
Before uploading, the Label for new images dropdown at the top of the Images section sets the default label for all images in that upload batch. If you're photographing five title pages in a row, set it to "Title page" and upload them all at once.
Relabeling After Upload
Mistakes happen. Click any image in the grid to select it — it gets a red border — and a relabel dropdown appears below the grid. Choose the correct label, and the change saves immediately. The antiquarian description for the selected label appears below the dropdown, so you can confirm you've picked the right one.
Click the X button or click the image again to deselect.
Upload Limits
Images are stored at their original resolution. Shelvd generates thumbnails automatically. There is no hard limit on the number of images per book — photograph what needs documenting.
A Note on Illustration Techniques
If you're unsure which illustration label to use, the generic options (B&W or Color) are always available. But identifying the technique adds real value. A few quick rules:
- Woodcut — Bold black lines, sometimes rough. Ink sits on raised surfaces. The oldest technique in printed books.
- Wood engraving — Fine cross-hatched lines on white. Much more detailed than woodcuts. Think Bewick's birds.
- Etching — Soft, free-flowing lines that look drawn. The plate was bitten by acid, not cut.
- Engraving — Precise, mechanical-looking lines that swell and taper. The burin was pushed through the metal.
- Lithograph — Flat, often crayon-like textures. No plate impression in the paper.
- Halftone — Visible dots under magnification. All photographic reproductions since the 1880s.
- Hand-colored — Every copy is slightly different. Watercolor sits on top of a printed outline.
When in doubt, say "B&W Illustration" or "Color Illustration." When in less doubt, say what it is. Buyers of illustrated books know the difference between an original etching and a halftone reproduction, and they pay accordingly.
See also: Cataloging for Dealers · Physical Description · Condition Grading