Bible in Latin

Chancery octavo (147 × 106 mm). Collation: π⁴ (title-page, Froben’s Exhortatio to readers, mnemonic verses, Summarium Biblie); a-y A-Z⁸ (Old Testament); 1-10⁸ 11^{4 2}11⁸ (New Testament; colophon on 211/8v); A-E8 (Interpretationes nominum Hebraicorum; Translatores Biblie, Modi intelligendi scripturam): 496 leaves, a1 and E7-8 blank. 2 columns, 56 lines + headline. Initial spaces with guide letters (rubricated in red and blue: alternating lombard initials, underlining, bracket strokes and paragraph marks). Some leaves with stains and finger marks from steady use. Seventeenth-century German calf gilt with small tools including pointillé volutes, edges stained dark blue with elaborate gilt gauffering; corners bumped and joints abraded. 

M. Sebastianus Pfaff (inscription dated 1533) — “Mart. Frulin [?] J. U. L.” (title-page inscription) — Freiherrin von Rosskampf, Heilbronn — “Guiot” (inscription recording gift by the former, 1806)

Formatting the Word of God 2.2; Goff B-592; Hain 3107*; GW 4269; BMC III 789 (IA.38783); BSB-Ink B-466; Bod-inc B-300

Chancery octavo (147 × 106 mm). Collation: π4 (title-page, Froben's Exhortatio to readers, mnemonic verses, Summarium Biblie); a-y A-Z8 (Old Testament); 1-108 114 2118 (New Testament; colophon on 211/8v); A-E8 (Interpretationes nominum Hebraicorum; Translatores Biblie, Modi intelligendi scripturam): 496 leaves, a1 and E7-8 blank. 2 columns, 56 lines + headline. Initial spaces with guide letters (rubricated in red and blue: alternating lombard initials, underlining, bracket strokes and paragraph marks). Some leaves with stains and finger marks from steady use. Seventeenth-century German calf gilt with small tools including pointillé volutes, edges stained dark blue with elaborate gilt gauffering; corners bumped and joints abraded.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The first Bible printed in octavo format, and the first book signed by Johann Froben, founder of a great printer’s dynasty and friend of Erasmus. The size of Froben’s Bible conforms to that of many thirteenth-century portable Bibles written in Paris and elsewhere. Froben’s Exhortatio emphasized this feature: “in view of its small size this could better be called a mini-Bible than a Bible” (aptius Bibliola quam Biblia dici poterit). To keep the number of leaves within a single volume, Froben used an unusually small but very clear gothic fount, in today’s nomenclature of 7-point size. The octavo format was clearly welcomed by readers: Froben printed a second edition in 1495 (Goff B-598), and there followed three Italian octavo Vulgate editions of 1492, 1496, and 1497, as well as Gershom Soncino’s Hebrew Bible in octavo, Brescia, 1494 (Goff Heb-10).