Martin Luther’s Haußpostil, 1553, with numerous coloured woodcuts

Martin Luther:
Haußpostilla […] über die Sontags und der fürnemsten Fest Evangelia.

Nürnberg, Johann vom Berg & Ulrich Newber, 1553. Folio. (31 x 20,5 cms.) Consists of 3 parts, each with section title. Final leaf with half-page woodcut and colophon. [10] + ”170” [=180] leaves + [2] blank leaves; + 187 leaves; + 117 + [2] leaves. Complete save for a final blank leaf in the second part. Illustrated throughout with woodcuts.

VD16 L 4852. NB: The main title differs somewhat from the online version of the copy held by the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, which gives ”Haußpostil […]” and ”fürnembsten” (rather than ”Haußpostilla” and ”fürnemsten” as in the present copy), and surrounds the letterpress title with a different woodcut frame. The text of the book however appears to be printed from the same composition of type in both cases, according to a comparison of a few specimen pages. Cf. https://reader.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/fs1/object/display/bsb10144044_00001.html .

Edited by Veit Dietrich. The first edition of Martin Luther’s Protestant bestseller ”Hauspostille” appeared in 1544, and new editions followed in 1548, 1553, 1554 and 1555. All early editions are rare, especially complete.

Restored contemporary blindstamped pigskin, worn and soiled, spine renewed, hinges strengthened with leather, main title laid down (worn and soiled with slight loss affecting lower margin and some very small patches of the broad woodcut historiated frame), first few leaves with strengthened margins, text with a few marginal waterstains throughout and occasional finger-soiling and staining, a few tears, leaf 3D4 in the final part with slight paper loss in outer margin. Old hand-colouring of the woodcut illustrations. Near-contemporary 6-line inscription on front fly-leaf. Label of ”H. Mellgrens antikvariat / Göteborg”.