Liber Bibliae Moralis
Ulm: Johann Zainer, 1474. Two handsome and well preserved incunable leaves from a bible printed in Latin at the press of Johann Zainer. Zainer was the second printer in Ulm, and is documented there with a first printed book in 1473, the Pestordnung by the Ulm city doctor Heinrich Steinhöwel. He further developed book decoration and published the first German translation of a work by Giovanni Boccaccio. Like Günther Zainer, printer in Augsburg, Johann Zainer came from Reutlingen; the two men might have been, or almost certainly were, related. He received his training as a printer in Strasbourg. After an initially successful career, Zainer's business declined after a few years; he was expelled from the city in 1493, probably because of debts, but returned later and resumed printing, albeit only a few books, until 1515 and was mentioned for the last time in 1523 [German Wikipedia].
The leaves are printed in double columns, with 50 lines in a gothic type. There are four red and black three-line initials, one initial in gray and black, and red underlining to mark new paragraphs. The paper is toned and has some darker staining, primarily in the margins but affecting some of text block. Light creasing along margins and pinpricks and slight chipping where leaves were removed from their book. A nice example of early German printing in very good condition. Measures 11 x 16 inches. EPHEM/053123. Very Good.
Item #36633
Price: $300.00