Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, ca. 1490s. An incunabule leaf from the German edition of the Die Schedelsche Weltchronik, commonly refered to as the Nuremberg Chronicles. The German edition was published several months after the 1493 Latin edition in a smaller quantity. This secular giant parallels the Gutenberg Bible in craftsmanship. The Nuremberg Chronicle is an illustrated encyclopedia consisting of world historical accounts, as well as accounts told through biblical paraphrase. Subjects include human history in relation to the Bible, illustrated mythological creatures, and the histories of important Christian and secular cities from antiquity. Finished in 1493, it was originally written in Latin by Hartmann Schedel, and a German version was translated by Georg Alt. It is one of the best-documented early printed books—an incunabulum—and one of the first to successfully integrate illustrations and text. This leaf is from page CCXXXIX (239) and is titled "Das Sechst Alter," or "The Sixth Age." There is a woodcut of a walled city on one side and of the Holy Roman Emperor Sigmund on the other. The letters on the pages are handcolored with red ink and the woodcuts with brown ink. The leaf is browned and has a stain in the lower margin of both sides. Still a nice copy of a page from this important early book. Measures 12 x 17 inches. ICUN/033023. Very Good. More