Bladnumren

Bladnumren refer to the numbers printed on the leaves or pages of a book or manuscript, used to identify the order of content and facilitate navigation, citation, and reference. In modern publishing, bladnumren are typically Arabic numerals placed in the header or footer, often on the bottom outside corners. Books usually begin page numbering at 1 for the main text, while front matter such as the title page, copyright page, and table of contents may use lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) and are often not counted in the main sequence.

In double‑sided printing, conventions differ: some styles place odd numbers on the right-hand page (recto) and even numbers on the left-hand page (verso), while others may use alternative layouts. Some publishers restart numbering at the beginning of each chapter, whereas others maintain a continuous sequence throughout the work. The choice of where to place bladnumren (top, bottom, left or right margin) and how to format them can vary by language, house style, and historical period.

Historically, the concept of bladnumren can also refer to leaf numbers, indicating the physical leaves (blades) of a manuscript or early printed book. In library cataloging and bibliographies, bladnumren help describe the exact extent of a copy, particularly for rare or archival materials where the number of leaves may differ from the number of pages due to bindings or missing sections. The practice of bladnumren thus spans both practical navigation in texts and the archival description of physical objects.