Biblia [Czech].

Accession number: 
PML 18739
Uniform title: 
Bible. Czech. 1488.
Published: 
Pražskem : [Printer of the 1488 Bible (Johann Kamp?)] slowutni mužie a miesstia nee pan Ian pytlik, a pan Seweryn kramař to ̊leta konsselee: a pan Ian od čapuow, a pan Matieg od biele ̊ lwa [at the cost and initiative of Johann Pytlik, Johann? Severin
Description: 
[610] leaves ; 34 cm (fol.)
Credit Line: 
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1909.
Notes: 

Title and printer from ISTC.
Imprint from colophon, leaf mm8v: Praczy teto a diela. knih tiechto zakona božie° konecz včinien gt̃ sstiastnie. w sla wnem Miestie Starem Pražskem. kte ružto praczy. slowunti mužie a miesstia nee Pan Jan pytlik. a pan Seweryn kramař to ̊leta konsselee: a pan Jan od čapuow. a pan Matieg od biele ̊lwa ... [3 lines] ... snažnie przed se wzemsse. przi nie Naklady znamenite cžinili su: a mužow vcženych Mistruow Pražskych: a ginych w zakonie božiẽ rozumnych. wtõ vžiwagice pomoczy przy wykladech slussnych a p̃ wych. tak až k koncy tuž p̃cy prziwedli A leta božie ̊tisyczie ̊cžtyrzste ̊osmde sateho osmeho Miesyecze Srpna.
Printed in the Printer of the 1488 Bible (Johann Kamp?) type 1:105G.
PML Checklist names one of the publishers: Severin Kramarsz.
Signatures: a-g¹⁰ h⁸ i-z¹⁰ A¹⁰ B⁸ C-Z¹⁰ AA-BB¹⁰ CC⁸ aa-ll¹⁰ mm⁸ [nn]⁸: 610 leaves, leaf a1 blank. Quire [nn] is numbered i-iiii but not signed.
Paper format: Median folio.
Incipit, leaf a2r and register [nn]⁸ printed in red and black.
Translation by Jan Hus and Martin Lupáč. Printed under the auspices and partly at the expense of the civic authorities, and with the aid of the University professors at Prague. Contains the Epistle to the Laodiceans. --Darlow & Moule 2177.
"The first-ever printed Slavic bible is the Bible of Prague, published ... by the burghers Jan Pytlík, Severýn the Grocer, Jan Bilý of the Čáps, and Matěj of the White Lion, in August 1488" --Municipal Library of Prague, Annual report, 2003, p. 17.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 31.5 x 22.6 cm.
PML copy missing 9 leaves: a1 (blank) and [nn]⁸ (register, replaced with 6-leaf register from Biblij Cžeská w Benátkach tisstěná, Venice: Peter Liechtenstein, 1506). Moisture damage/staining throughout, with several leaves at end reinforced at margins.

Binding: 
17th-century Czech gilt-tooled calf over wooden boards (34 x 23 cm), sewn on 4 supports; rebacked. Tooled on front cover with small panel of Immaculate Conception, and initials "BGZ" and "1620". Plain paper pastedowns and endleaves. 2 clasps, and corner pieces.
Variant Title: 

PML Checklist title: Biblia Bohemica

Inscriptions/Markings: 

Hand decoration: Contemporary rubrication, alternating red and blue initials, red paragraph marks and brackets around headlines, and yellow capital strokes; illuminated foliate border and initial (leaf a2r), and foliate border, initial, and scene of Creation of Eve (leaf a6v), with significant loss of pigment revealing underdrawing. Annotations: Marginal notations and manicules sporadically throughout volume, including leaves g10r and p10r. Paper fragment with Czech(?) manuscript used as bookmark (at leaf z3r), now in dept. file.

Provenance: 
Unidentified owner: BGZ, 1620 (binding); unidentified pencil signature: Johan Lar[???] (final leaf verso); Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), purchased from Jacques Rosenthal, Feb. 1909.
Classification: 
Department: