BIBLIA LATINA [With the tractate of Menardus Monachus]

Very Early Printing of the Bible and only the second Latin Bible printed by Koberger, 51 lines and headline, double column, canon marginalia in the Gospels. With manuscript headlines in red, a beautiful opening initial of 10 lines with elaborate flourishes that flow from the very top to very bottom of the page in red, blue and green, numerous 6 line initials in red and blue, some with much longer extensions or flourishes, a profusion of 3 line initials in red or blue, red paragraph marks and additional rubricating throughout primarily in red. Royal folio (375 x 265mm approx), in contemporary German blind-stamped pigskin over thick wood boards, (probably a Nuremberg binding), the boards center-paneled and decorated in blind with a central tool within multiple borders, remnants of brass catches on the fore-edge. Manuscript lettering to the spine with wide tall bands. 468 leaves, complete. An unusually fine copy, especially well preserved and very handsome indeed. An important copy with full contemporary binding intact, and in great likelihood coming directly from Koberger’s workshop.

Edizione: a rare and extremely handsome copy, especially well preserved. this book represents only the second time that koberger printed the latin bible. this printing was issued in the second year after the first printing of 1475. anton koberger was for a number of years the leading publisher/printer of his time. the total list of his printings for the forty years from 1473 to 1513, when he died, comprises no less than two-hundred and thirty-six separate works, including fifteen impressions of the biblia latina, eight of which presented material differences of notes and commentaries which entitled them to be considered as distinct editions. "in the actual number of separate works issued, koberger was possibly equaled by one or more of his contemporaries, but in respect to literary importance and costliness, and in the beauty and excellence of the typography, the koberger publications were not equaled by any books of the time excepting the issues of aldus in venice" (putnam ii, p. 150).<br> this printing of koberger’s latin bible was printed again in 1478 and is largely based on the fust and schoeffer edition of 1462. the tractate of menardus is included which is a summary of the books of the bible with a guide on how to best study them. it was first printed not after 1474. a beautiful example of the magnificent productions during the first generation of printed bibles, the state of preservation and the impressive german binding making it all the more so.