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University and City Library of Cologne

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  • Binding photos of the front cover and book cut. In addition, scales are given.
    Cover photos of the front cover and book cut with scale Photo: Simon Epp
  • Photo of the title page "Bertholdus: Zeitglöcklein des Lebens und Leidens Christi". The frame is colourful and features plants as well as a variety of animals. A sun is depicted in the centre, above it are angels and a bell.
    Title page "Bertholdus: Zeitglöcklein des Lebens und Leidens Christi"
  • Photo of a leaf from the block book "Biblia pauperum" around 1465. Collages are shown and the page is rich in colour.
    Sheet of the block book "Biblia pauperum" around 1465
  • Photo of a leaf from the block book "Apocalypsis" around 1465. Collages are shown and the page is rich in colour.
    Sheet of the block book "Apocalypsis" around 1465
  • depicted is the title page of the Cologne Chronicle 1499. 8 holy persons are listed with the title "The Chronicle of the Holy City of Cologne".
    Title page of Kölnische Chronik 1499

PRESENTATION OF THE COVERS

We are now photographing interesting bindings of our digitized prints. Usually we present the front and back covers, the spine and the front trim, in special cases also the head and foot trim. The bindings are taken in the photo studio of our digitisation centre.
Durantis, Guilelmus: Rationale divinorum officiorum

 

The Digital Collection Incunabula and Blockbooks

The University and City Library of Cologne has a rich collection of incunabula; this is the term used to describe printed works that were created up to the year of publication 1500 by the technique of printing with movable letters invented by Johannes Gutenberg.
In the 15th century, Cologne was an important city in which the university and the clergy provided sufficient education for people to read and write. This was an important prerequisite for the development of the new technology of letterpress printing, and more than 20 printers and officers soon settled here.

Ulrich Zell, who had been trained by Peter Schöffer in Mainz, was the first printer in Cologne. In 1466 his edition of "Super psalmo quinquagesimo `Miserere mei deus`“ by Johannes Chrysostomus appeared as the first Cologne print. A total of about 1280 prints were published in Cologne until the end of 1500.

Incunabula and more

The "Public Domain" logo.

This work (Digital Collection Incunabula and Blockbooks), which was identified by the University and City Library of Cologne, is not subject to any known copyright restrictions.

 

If you use our digitised documents, we would be pleased about the citing of our name.

This collection is marked with Open Access.

Open Access refers to the worldwide free access to scientific publications on the Internet, subject to copyright protection. No legal or financial barriers should stand in the way of the reader worldwide.

Open Access at the University and City Library of Cologne