The Gutenberg Bible

The Gutenberg Bible

Johannes Gutenberg, who introduced movable type, began printing the Gutenberg Bible in the mid-15th century in Mainz. As medieval handmade books were still the main way of crafting manuscripts, Gutenberg did his best to replicate the look of medieval manuscripts already in circulation. The originals were usually stained cowhide leather with hand-tooled embellishments. However, while the majority of the originals were printed on handmade paper, some were still printed on traditional vellum. It is estimated that 170 calfskins were required to make the parchment for one printing of the Gutenberg Bible.

This facsimile consists of two volumes that are hand bound in full oxblood moroccon leather. Although this facsimile is technically a copy, the attention to detail and the Intaglio printing process used is astounding. To insure the colors of the text and images were vibrant the publishers ran each page through the printing process seven times. It features vibrant colored inks and a lacquer protected copper-bronze powder in place of the gold leafing. As well, to replicate the gold leafing, they tested different formulas to come up with a one-of-a-kind lacquer-protected copper-bronze powder they used during publishing. Each page section was also hand sewn into the spine of the facsimile during the binding process. This facsimile was not simply massed produced using automated machines but was hand made using various time-consuming processes to insure accuracy and attention to detail.

Original MS: Johannes Gutenberg

Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: Z241 .B58 1961 V. 1, V. 2
Original MS: Paris, Bibliotheque Mazarine, Inc. 16

Pageant Books and Cooper Square Publishing New York, NY

Facsimile: 1961
Original MS: 1454

NA

Pageant Books and Cooper Square Publishing New York, NY

Douce Apocalypse

46.9 x 31.8 x 8.3 cm

Latin

Holy Bible, Old and New Testament

Incunabula, Early Printed Books

Germany, Renaissance, c. 1400s

Prepared by Brain Wiseman