[INCUNABULA REFERENCE / ALDINE / ALDUS MANUTIUS]. Im Zeichen von Anker und Delphin. Die Aldinensammlung der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Bearbeitet von H. Nickel und A. Wittenberg. Gestaltet von A.u.M. Bertram by Faust, Karla; Staatsbibliothek (Berlin), et al - 2005

Leipzig: Faber & Faber, 2005. Near Fine. Large 4to (305 x 230 mm). 239, [1] pp. With 140 color illustrations. Original brown cloth with gilt lettering on cover and spine, original printed dustjacket. Catalogue of 1,448 items. With "Zur Geschichte der Sammlung" (Karla Faust); "Die Buchenbande" (Andreas Wittenberg); Widerspruchlichkeiten (Holger Nickel); Zeittafel (Corneila Wolff), foreword, afterword, and indices. Elaborately produced, full-color catalogue of 1,448 books printed by Aldus Manutius (1450-1515) and his heirs, preserved in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Most of the books came from the fabulous library of Count Etienne Mejan (1765-1846) which was acquired en bloc in 1847 by King Ferdinand Wilhelm IV of Prussia for the then enormous sum of 64,000 talers. The books are listed chronologically, with bibliographical and copy-specific information about bindings, provenance, etc. There are several insightful introductions, including discussions about the history of the Aldine Collection at the SB Berlin (K. Faust), the bindings (A. Wittenberg), bibliographical and historical contradictions ("Widerspruchlichkeiten," H. Nickel). There are 4 extensive indices / registers, and finally a Summary in English, French, and Spanish.