Bible-Latin-Incunable Leaf

[Biblia Latina]

      [Adolph Rusch for Anton Koberger, ], [c1479. ]. Folio. 468 x 325 mm. Single leaf. Double column, printed on one side only. Rubricated. Uninked type impression in blank right column. This leaf is known by printer's as an unbalanced form. Inorder to maintain even pressure on the page, the printer placed two blocks of type in the blank area but did not ink them. This leaf is from the Biblia Latina printed by Adolph Rusch in Strasburg for Anton Koberger about the year 1479, it having ben completed soon after September 1481. It is the only book that can be ascribed definitely to Rusch, the son-in-law and partner of Johann Mentelin. Rusch is commonly referred to as the R-printer from the peculiar R in the otherwise regular roman used by him in 1464. That type is thought to be the earliest roman letter cast--earlier even than that first used by Sweynheym & Pannartz at Subiaco. This Bible is in the Gothic which he obtained from Johann Amerbach. Ernest Voullieme, in his work, 'German Printers of the Fifteenth Century" characterizes it as a masterpiece of typography "by reason of its compass, its intricacy of the composition, and the delicacy of the presswork. " This leaf is the end of the text of Baruch VI, Goff B607; HC 3173*; GfT 1246; Pell 2352; CIBN B-427; Polain(B) 682, 682A; Walsh 139, 140, 141; Oates 124; Rhodes(Oxford Colleges) 359; Bod-inc B-314; Sheppard 320, 321; Pr 299; BMC I 92; BSB-Ink B-442; GW 4282; ISTC ib00607000.