Bible, German.

folio (385 x 242mm.), three title-pages printed in red and black within woodcut borders, portrait of Christoph, duke of Württemburg dated 1564 on second leaf, woodcut initials, 144 woodcut illustrations all with contemporary hand-colouring (a few repeated), some illustrations signed "I.A." (Jost Amman), "IB" (Hans Bocksberger) and/or "S.HF." or "S.F." (Sigmund Feyerabend), printed explanatory table bound before full-page illustrations on i4r-v, contemporary calf elaborately gilt dated 1565 by Hans Neumayr, with his gilt stamp dated 1560 on flyleaf, covers with central gilt stamp of ?Fortuna within an arabesque panel, decorative fleurons at corners and above and below central panel, outer roll border depicting putti musicians, lettering on upper cover "Biblia 1565" and the motto "Gotes Wort bleiebt ewig besthonn", on lower cover "Got alein die Erre", endbands of red, blue and white thread, a2 torn in lower margin without loss, a few other small marginal tears or repairs, occasional light browning, binding slightly rubbed, joints repaired and regilded at head and foot, spine chipped at both ends, lacking two clasps

Anna Sabrina Wickhin, given by her to her daughter, Johanna Mary, on 2 December 1719

VD16 B2759

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."

The illustrations for this edition were initially commissioned from Virgil Solis, the principal illustrator for Sigmund Feyerabend's prolific print shop in Frankfurt. At the death of Solis in 1562, Jost Amman (1539-1591) took over the commission, utilising some of Solis's illustrations as published in his Biblische Figuren of 1562, and also basing some of his woodcuts on drawings by Hans Bocksberger (fl. 1564-1579). It was the start of a long and productive (though not profitable, at least for Amman) collaboration between the artist and the printer; Amman produced another full set of Bible illustrations for Feyerabend in 1571.