Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514)
Liber chronicarum [German:] Das Buch der Croniken und Geschichten. Translated by Georg Alt (c.1450-1510). Augsburg: Johann Schönsperger, 18 September 1496.
First edition in German of Schönsperger’s abbreviated version of Schedel’s celebrated Nuremberg Chronicle. Schönsperger simplified the lay-out and reduced the size and the woodcuts to produce an edition which was more manageable – and marketable – than Koberger's grand Imperial folio volumes of 1493 (see previous lot). Its world map appeared not only in Schönsperger’s Latin edition the following year but in numerous editions of Elucidarius down to 1613, probably the longest life-span of any incunable map (cf. Barber p.154). Not in the British or Bodleian Libraries; H 14511*; Goff S-310; Klebs 890.2; Campbell(Maps) 221-222; Schreiber 5206; CIBN S-164; BSB-Ink S-198; ISTC is00310000.

Chancery folio (304 x 200mm). 330 leaves (of 332, without blank KK6 and 2χ6, 3 leaves in facsimile [a2.5, y3]). Two xylographic title-pages (general and Register), profusely illustrated with woodcut city views, portraits, and scenes, half-page world map, double-page map of Germany (with German place-names), all coloured by a contemporary hand, woodcut decorative and Lombard initials (light dampstaining, occasional small spot, t6 with neat repaired tear into text, short marginal tear or small marginal repair in c.12 leaves, map of Germany on stub, just shaved at border and left side just possibly supplied). Contemporary German half calf over wooden boards, diapered and tooled in blind with griffin, rosette eagle and other tools, remains of single fore-edge clasp, remains of leather index tabs (rubbed, repaired, upper board cracked, modern endpapers).

H. Legel (bookplate).

No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
-