Liber cronicarum [Nuremberg Chronicle]

12 July, 1493

de Beer Ge 1493 S

HC 14508*; BMC II 437; Goff S307; Kaplan 424; ISTC is00307000.

Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, for Sebald Schreyer and Sebastian Kammermeister
Anton Koberger of Nuremberg (b. about 1445; d.1513) was a goldsmith before he became a printer, and bookseller. In 1470, he established a printery in Nuremberg and his first dated volume was Alcinous, 24 November 1472. In 1483 he produced a German Bible and in 1484 the first book printed in the Hungarian language.
Koberger was primarily a publisher, an entrepreneur par excellence, who, by 1500 had produced as many as 200 works and sold them through the various agencies he had in various European cities. He employed traveling salesmen, and issued one of the first advertising circulars. According to statements, Koberger had some twenty-four presses operating a day for his printing and employed over a hundred workmen. Durer was his godson.

Rebacked mottled calf binding. Marbled endpapers. Spine title reads: Liber Chroni/ Perviam Epit/ Digestarum

Adam and Eve (f.66a), King and book img (f.151b), Nuremberg (f.99b and 100a), title-page sample, Epitoma operum (f.1a), binding and front endpapers, colophon, comet (f.186a), Constantinople (f.249a), Cyclops (detail from f.12a), Anthropagamai characters (f.12a), solar system (f.4a).

This is the Latin edition of the Nuremberg Chronicle, a history of the world from the beginning. The most sumptuously illustrated book of the 15th century, with 1809 woodcuts by Wohleguth and Pleydenwurff, of which 1,164 are repeats. It contains many authentic views of great cities of Europe. Variants listed by W.B. Todd, The Book Collector (1964), pp.497-498. See Adrian Wilson, The Making of the Nuremberg Chronicle (1976).

Paper. [20], 299, [1] leaves; illus., 1 double map. 460 x 315 mm (large folio).
Leaves 29-319 numbered I-CCXCIX.
F.1a: Woodcut title
F. 320b Colophon: "...Anthonius koberger Nuremberge impressit. Adhibitis tame viris mathematicis pingendiqz arte peritissimus. Michaele wolgemut et wilhelmo Pleydenwurff. quaru solerti acuratissimaqz animaadversione tum civitatum tum illustrium virorum figure inserte sunt. Consummatu autem duodecima mensis Iulij. Anno salutis nre. 1493.'
Woodcuts by Wohlgemuth, Pleydenwurff and [Albrecht Drer].
Some repair to map at back.

1. William Benson (Si deus quis contra bookplate and motto)
2. Esmond de Beer
3. Otago University Library