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

A Fine Leaf from the Gutenberg Bible

The opportunity to own a complete Gutenberg Bible is beyond legendary—no full copies have surfaced since 1987, and all known examples reside in institutions. For collectors, these individual leaves (termed Noble Fragments by the rare book dealer Gabriel Wells in the 1920s) are the closest one can come to owning the first printed Western book. This is, without question, one of the rarest items I have ever handled—a cornerstone for any truly serious collection.

This exceptional leaf comes from the Book of Isaiah, covering the end of Chapter 45 through the beginning of Chapter 48, with Chapters 46 and 47 complete. These passages are among the most theologically profound in the Old Testament. Isaiah 45 concludes with God’s sovereign declaration—"every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance." Chapters 46 and 47 warn against idolatry and foretell the fall of Babylon, while Isaiah 48 opens with a rebuke of Israel’s hypocrisy and a call to genuine faith.

Condition

This is the finest Gutenberg leaf on the market—remarkably preserved, with clear, legible text, vibrant rubrication, and no foxing or tears. The margins remain wide and clean, a testament to careful handling over the centuries. It has been framed to museum-grade standards, both enhancing its visual impact and ensuring its long-term preservation. One would be hard-pressed to find a better example.

Historical Significance

Printed between 1450 and 1455, the Gutenberg Bible marked the dawn of the printed book and the early modern era, with an impact comparable to the invention of the internet or the moon landing. Within decades of its printing, millions of books were circulating—a revolution sparked by this very work. Only 49 complete copies are known to exist, all held by institutions.

In the 1920s, Gabriel Wells acquired an incomplete copy and made the controversial decision to separate its leaves, selling them individually with a bibliographical essay by A. Edward Newton under the title A Noble Fragment. Of the 568 leaves originally dispersed, only 466 have been located. This is one of them—and the finest example to appear on the market.

Each original Gutenberg Bible was illuminated individually, making every copy, and every leaf, unique. This leaf retains its original hand-applied rubrication, with alternating red and blue Lombard initials, and is housed in the original Noble Fragment binding.

Description

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. Two-line Lombard initials in alternating red and blue, capital strokes in red. Tipped into: A Noble Fragment: Being a Leaf of the Gutenberg Bible, with a bibliographical essay by A. Edward Newton. New York: Gabriel Wells, 1921. Binding: Dark blue morocco gilt by Stikeman & Co., housed in the original slipcase (defective).

Provenance

• Maria Elisabeth Augusta von Sulzbach (1721–1794), wife of Carl Theodore, Electoral Prince of Bavaria

• Mannheim Hofbibliothek; Munich Royal Library (duplicate sale, 1832, sold for 350 guilders)

• Robert Curzon, Baron Zouche (1810–1873) (by descent)

• Sotheby’s, 9 November 1920, Lot 70, sold to Joseph Sabin

• Gabriel Wells, who separated and sold the leaves individually

One of the greatest rarities in the field of early printing, this leaf offers an extraordinary chance to acquire a piece of the book that changed the world.