A Noble Fragment: A Leaf from The Gutenberg Bible | 1450 - 1455, a fine leaf from the first printed Western book.

By Johann Gutenberg
£100,000.00 GBP
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'The chance to own a complete Gutenberg Bible is beyond legendary—no complete copies have surfaced since 1987, and all known examples now rest with museums and institutions. For the collector, these leaves (called Noble Fragments by the 1920s dealer Gabriel Wells) are as close as one will ever come to owning the world’s first printed Western book. This is potentially one of the rarest items I will ever encounter. A must for any collection that wants to be considered truly serious.' Oliver Bayliss (Owner & Founder of Bayliss Rare Books)

A fine leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with moveable type, being the end of Chapter 45 through the beginning of Chapter 48 of Isaiah, with Chapters 46 and 47 complete. These chapters carry immense theological weight and are pivotal in the context of biblical prophecy. Isaiah 45 concludes with God’s supreme declaration of His sovereignty, inviting all people to salvation and asserting that “every knee will bow and every tongue will swear allegiance” to Him. Isaiah 46 and 47 emphasise the futility of idols, contrasting them with God’s unmatched power, while foretelling the fall of Babylon as a cautionary tale against pride and self-reliance. Isaiah 48 begins with God calling out Israel’s hypocrisy and encouraging a genuine faith in His unchallenged authority.

In terms of condition, this leaf is nothing short of spectacular – the finest on the market and priced lower than ones foxed beyond belief. The text is remarkably clear and legible, with minimal wear, retaining vibrant original colours and precise rubrication. The paper is beautifully preserved, with no tearing or foxing, and the margins remain wide and clean - signs of both its careful handling and the quality of the initial printing. It is beautifully framed in a way that really enhances its visual appeal while safeguarding its integrity. Simply put, one would be hard pushed to find a better Gutenberg Leaf. It shocks me that this was published 570 years ago!

The best example on the market and the best a collector could hope for. Finely framed to the highest museum grade standard.

Printed between 1450 - 1455, The Gutenberg Bible is a landmark in the history of mankind and propelled us into the early modern era and the Renaissance. The creation of the printing press by Gutenberg and subsequently the printing of his bible (the first printed Western book) is akin to the creation of the internet, the moon landings, the invention of the wheel and more. It is one of the most important moments in our shared history. A few years after the invention of Gutenberg's press and his Bible, there were millions of books circulating the globe. This is undoubtedly the rarest item Bayliss Rare Books has encountered thus far.

Only 49 complete bibles are known to exist and these are with museums and institutions. In the 20s a famous rare book dealer, Gabriel Wells, split an incomplete copy and sold the leaves of which there were 568. 466 have been found and this is one of those. The others are still wandering yet to surface! Alongside the leaves, Wells sold a book called a Noble Fragment which is rare in itself and we have the book alongside this. All the leaves from Wells' splitting of his bible are called Noble Fragments. Currently only two others are available anywhere in the world. This is the finest example of those and indeed the finest to surface so far.

Each collector who bought each of the 180 bibles printed by Gutenberg, illuminated them in whatever way they wanted, thus making each bible unique and each leaf unique.

Description and Condition:

Royal folio (390 x 285 mm). Single leaf (fol. 63) from vol.2, containing Isaiah 45:6-48:6. 42 lines, double column. Gothic type 1:140. 2-line Lombard initials supplied in blue and red, headlines and chapter numbers in alternating red and blue letters, capital strokes in red. Tipped-in to: A Noble Fragment: Being a leaf of the Gutenberg Bible, with a bibliographical essay by A. Edward Newton. New York: Gabriel Wells, 1921. Dark blue morocco gilt, by Stikeman and Co. (some spotting and light wear); original cardboard slipcase (defective). BMC I, 17 (IC.55); BSB-Ink. B-408; Chalmers Disbound and Dispersed 18; CIBN B-361; DeRicci/Mayence 53 (=78); GW 4201; Hain *3031; Needham P18; Norman, pp.253-258; Pr 56; Goff B-526.

Provenance:

Maria Elisabeth Augusta von Sulzbach (1721-1794), wife of Carl Theodore, Electoral Prince of the Palatinate, subsequently Electoral Prince of Bavaria; Mannheim, Hofbibliothek; Munich, Royal Library (their duplicate sale, 1832, sold for 350 guilders); Robert Curzon, Baron Zouche (1810-1873, and by descent until sold); Sotheby's 9 November 1920, lot 70, to Joseph Sabin; sold by him to; Gabriel Wells, who broke up the copy, dispersing it in single leaves, many of them accompanied by A. Edward Newton's essay, as here, and in larger fragments.