Hortulus animae.

16mo (130 x 88mm.), 237 leaves (of 256), 22 lines and headline, Gothic letter, printed in red and black, 71 (of 72) woodcuts (4 full-page) all coloured by hand, initials supplied in red and blue, contemporary blind-stamped calf over wooden boards, extensive later manuscript annotations at the end, including mottoes in Latin and prayers in German, lacking first 16 leaves and o7, r8 & x1, short tear in last 3 lines of text of n5, occasional other short tears in margins, some light soiling in margins, binding rubbed, lacking one clasp

HC 8936; Polain 1999; Goff H485; Schreiber 4242; Bodleian XVc. H-219 

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

first edition of this prayer-book, which enjoyed great popularity at the beginning of the sixteenth century, when numerous edition in Latin and German appeared, many illustrated, as here, with finely executed woodcuts.

Johann Grüninger printed another Latin edition at Strassburg in the same year as this edition with copies of the present woodcuts, and both he and Schaffener published further Latin editions in 1500, both with slight variations in the woodcuts from the earlier editions. The German text was first printed in 1501. Of the fifteen copies of the present edition listed by ISTC, at least nine are incomplete.