incunabulum
Pre-1501 printing
An incunabulum is a book printed in Europe before 1501—the infancy of printing with movable type.
The term comes from a Latin word for cradle or swaddling clothes.
Collectors and scholars prize these early printed works for their rarity and craftsmanship.
The plural is incunabula: The library's incunabula collection includes a Gutenberg Bible.
Ancient bound manuscript
- folioSingle-fold page format
- vellumPrepared calfskin for writing
- quartoFour-leaf printing format
- octavoBook size, eight leaves
woodcut · binding · colophon · blackletter · movable type · watermark · catchword · signature
Years 1401-1500
- 1450sA ten-year span
- Gutenberg BibleFirst mass-produced book
- scribalOf professional copyists
- editio princepsInitial printed version
Printing press inventor's name
- pressApply force downward
- typesetArrange text for printing
- typographyArranging letters for display
- compositorOne who arranges type
edition · imprint · fount · punch · matrix · presswork · inking · registration
In short supply
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- valuableWorth considerable money
- collectibleObject worth amassing
- sought-afterMuch wanted by many
priceless · irreplaceable · coveted · auction · provenance · antiquarian · bibliophile · Sotheby's
List of cited works
- collationSystematic arrangement by rules
- censusOfficial population count
- cataloguingRecording items systematically
- BodleianOxford's main library
Christian sacred writings
- psalterDevotional song compilation
- missalCatholic service text collection
- breviaryDaily prayer compilation
- indulgenceYielding to desire
chronicle · herbal · bestiary · grammar · classical texts · scholastic · vernacular · sermon
codex
Ancient bound manuscript
octavo · woodcut · binding · colophon · blackletter · movable type · watermark · catchword · signature · marginalia
fifteenth century
Years 1401-1500
- 1450sA ten-year span
- Gutenberg BibleFirst mass-produced book
- scribalOf professional copyists
Gutenberg
Printing press inventor's name
- pressApply force downward
- typesetArrange text for printing
- typographyArranging letters for display
compositor · edition · imprint · fount · punch · matrix · presswork · inking · registration · Jenson
scarce
In short supply
- preciousHighly esteemed, greatly valued
- valuableWorth considerable money
- collectibleObject worth amassing
sought-after · priceless · irreplaceable · coveted · auction · provenance · antiquarian · bibliophile · Sotheby's · Christie's
bibliography
List of cited works
- collationSystematic arrangement by rules
- censusOfficial population count
- cataloguingRecording items systematically
Bible
Christian sacred writings
- psalterDevotional song compilation
- missalCatholic service text collection
- breviaryDaily prayer compilation
indulgence · chronicle · herbal · bestiary · grammar · classical texts · scholastic · vernacular · sermon · encyclopaedia