Opening pages: what belongs in the first leaf of a custody register

The first leaf of a custody register is not decoration. It is the contract your future self will read under poor light.

Put the legend first

Ink colours, abbreviation list, void procedure, and who is allowed to add lines. Without that, every later entry invents its own shorthand.

Then the map

A simple sketch of shelves or deposit positions—letters and numbers only. Avoid writing street addresses of vault buildings if the book might travel; keep location codes abstract.

Leave rotation space

Crowded opening pages push amendments into margins. Commission or rule extra blank lines so rotations do not destroy readability.

When we build a Custody Register Commission, these pages are drafted before any decorative binding choice. Beauty comes after clarity.