Incunables, or incunabla, are books printed within the first fifty years after the advent of printing with moveable type. Special Collections houses two of these treasures.
INCUNABULA: The Art & History of Printing in Western Europe, c. 1450-1500 (The Library of Congress)
Biblia Latina. Patterson, N.J.: Pageant Books, 1961. Special Collections [Folio] BS70 .G8 1961
There are only 49 surviving copies of the Gutenberg Bible. Perhaps not surprisingly, TCU does not own one! We do, however, have a fine facsimile edition. The Pageant Books facsimile derives from two illuminated copies --one now housed at the Königlichen Bibliothek in Berlin and another housed at the Standischen Landesbibliothek in Fulda.
The University of Texas has a copy that is on permanent exhibit. Their informative digital exhibit can be accessed through the image below.
à Kempis, Thomas. Imitatio Christi. Augsburg, Germany: Günther Zainer, [before 5 June 1473]. [Quarto] BV4820 .A1 1473
Biblia Latina. Basel, Switzerland: Nicolaus Kesler, 1491. Special Collections [Quarto] BS75 1491
The Center for the Book at the University of Iowa has a really cool visual showing the spread of printing in Europe. Click on the image below to access.
