Gutenberg Bible Cooper Square Facsimile. 2 Vols.
New York: Pageant Books, 1961. Facsimile edition. Hardcover. 61/1000. Elephant Folio (18 1/2 x 12 3/4"). Original black full English chieftan goatskin with blind-stamped decor on cover (as issued by Pageant), gilt lettering on spine; raised bands. Marbled endpapers. Gilt edges. The first facsimile of the Gutenberg Bible printed in the United States and only the second in the world. Containing faithful reproductions of the finest medieval illuminations in existence, stamped throughout with 24 carat gold.
"The reproduction derives from the Insel Verlag edition which was based on the copy in the Koeniglichen Bibliothek in Berlin and the copy in the Standischen Bibliothek in Fulda, considered by authorities to be the most beautifully illuminated of the 47 copies known to exist. The text pages have been printed by lithography and and the illuminated pages by Sheet-fed gravure. The paper used is 100 per cent rag content made especially for this book. The edition has been hand bound and is limited to 1000 sets..." (Colophon). The Gutenberg Museum states that there are now 49 documented partial or complete copies of this Bible.
Text in German. Ex Libris of Vincent Lloyd Russel on both inside covers. Binding of volume one with very light sunning of spine, volume two badly sunned. Volume two with all five raised bands with one inch abbrasion at center, half an inch of binding at head and tail of spine "shrunken," and with a 5 1/2" dulled strip across front cover. Binding of Volume one in very good-, volume two in fair+, volume one in very good, interior in near fine condition. fair+ to near fine. Item #47757
Price: $3,250.00