1483 Illuminated Biblia Sacra Latina - Incunable Johannes Herbort, Venice. Bible

      Herbort de Seligstadt, Venice 1483 - Title: Bible, Latin. "Biblia Sacra Latina." Publisher: Johannes Herbort de Seligstadt, Venice Year: 1483 (October) Size: Thick, small Folio Binding: Bound in antique vellum with some wear (wrinkling, soiling) but still well-intact although lacking ties. Description: Incunable Latin Bible comprised of 398 leaves, opening with a Prologue and with text finely printed in double columns, accented with numerous illuminations and colors throughout (see below). Blackletter text, 58 lines to a full column in addition to headline. Illuminated letters: First page of Prologue gives the reader a glimpse of the widespread beauty found in this medievally-styled illuminated Bible from the very early era of printing. At top of Prologue?s first column is a large decorative illumination in red and blue, accented with gold leafing, and accompanied by red, gold, and blue decorative border across portion of top margin and down inside margin. These are found scattered throughout the entire Bible, with a total of 98 large illuminations (letters) slightly smaller than the initial one, but with magnificent gold leafing as well ? and again accompanied by colors. Decorative initial letters: Hundreds of smaller decorative initial caps, most often in red and blue, adorn the text. Some are in light purple. Found throughout text as well. Condition: A1 is mounted; bottom margin of A2 (first page of Prologue) has been cut away and repaired with loss to the bottom of the decorative border and a few words of text; there is a paper flaw hole in R2, removing some words of text from 4 lines of the inner column; there is occasional worming in the inner margin, almost entirely confined to the blank margin; one gathering is slightly pulled, resulting in the sidenotes being slightly frayed; there is minor staining to the top margin in the Interpretationes at the rear. Occasional foxing and/or small stain spots, many pages clean and white. Some ink marks on lower portion of prologue, affected but not obliterating text. Inscriptions: 1919 owner?s inscription on endpaper. Inscription on page preceding Prologue, which has printed text only on the inscribed side (verso of leaf). Reference: British Museum Catalogue, V, 303; Goff B579. Hain 3090. Proctor 4691. [Attributes: Hard Cover]