Features of expertise of ancient books

Purpose. Identify the main stages of the process and criteria for the evaluation of ancient books in the conduct of identification and customs expertise. Methodology. The general approach to determining the content and structure of work is based on a systematic analysis method. Methods of analysis and synthesis, abstraction and grouping were used to summarize some of the results. Results. The state of smuggling and illicit trafficking of cultural property is briefly analyzed. The classification features of ancient books, by which they are classified when crossing the customs border or in the second-hand trade, are considered. The peculiarities of carrying out the identification examination of ancient books as objects of cultural heritage are considered. The characteristics of the books are identified; main stages and methods of examination are determined. The author gives a complete description of the external features of books, which determine their type affiliation. It is determined that the main classification feature of books is the period of printing. It is established that a full evaluation of a book, both value and identification, can be provided only on the basis of a comprehensive study of all the features, their totality. In customs examination, employees should review the book in strict order: to determine the title, time of printing, publisher, storage status, material, type of printing and ink, the presence of notes and signatures. Not only temporal or material criteria, but also artistic and socio-cultural influences determine the value of ancient books. In particular, the important creterias also are ownership of the book to a certain historical figure, artistic content of the publication, informational saturation of the book and confidentiality, presence of marginalia, rarity.The totality of all these and other attributes can increase the initial value of books several times over. Practical importance. The proposed procedure for conducting an identification examination of old printed books that are declared for export (temporary export) and returned to Ukraine after temporary export can be used to improve existing methods

ancient books; cultural property; identification expertise