Anton Koberger, 1480

DURANTI, Guillelmus (1237-1296). Rationale divinorum officiorum. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 19 April 1480.

First Koberger edition of Duranti's essential handbook to the symbolism of Church ritual, rubricated with large blue and red initials. This treatise was a vital source of information on the liturgy of the Latin church, witnessed by its continued popularity into the Renaissance. The first edition was printed by Fust and Schoeffer at Mainz in 1459 and dozens followed after. This is the first edition from the press of Anton Koberger—but not the last. The BMC copy was rubricated in Koberger’s workshop. Goff D-422; Bod-inc D-188; BMC II 418; BSB-Ink D-341; GW 9121.

Super-chancery folio (308 x 215mm). 198 leaves [of 199, without initial blank]. Large initial Q in red and blue on f. 1 and a few other smaller red and blue initials; other initials, capital strokes, and paragraph marks in red (worming and dustsoiling at ends, a few sheets toned, some spots and stains, a few marginal repairs). 19th-century half sheep and decorated paper boards, some index tabs preserved, inner covers seemingly preserving silver-stamped leather panels with figure of Ecceslia from an 18th-century binding, partially covered by the pastedowns [the same stamp can be found on the binding of Folger Library QH41 V5 cage], spine label, foreedge title [perhaps indicating text once bound in a Sammelband] (worn, joints starting, text block split). Provenance: occasional marginal notes and manicules.