Research Guides: History of Text Technologies: Early Print

Atlas of Early Printing

Atlas of Early Printing from the University of Iowa Libraries
The Atlas of Early Printing is an interactive site designed to be used as a tool for teaching the early history of printing in Europe during the second half of the fifteenth century. While printing in Asia pre-dates European activity by several hundred years, the rapid expansion of the trade following the discovery of printing in Mainz, Germany around the middle of the fifteenth century is a topic of great importance to the global history of communications, technology, and the dissemination of knowledge.

Block Books and Early Print

Block-books were printed from a technique where the whole mise-en-page, text and image, was made in woodcut as a potentially cheaper alternative to using typeset.

Early printed books, particularly those printed before the year 1501 are often referred to as incunabula (sing. incunabulum). Find more information about facsimiles of Incunabula & Early Printed Books available in FSU Special Collections & Archives in the Facsimiles of Medieval Manuscripts and Incunabula Research Guide.

Examples from the Collection of FSU Special Collections & Archives

Defensorium immaculatae virginitatis. by Franciscus de Retza
Call Number: Vault ; Z241 .F81 1925

Publication Date: 1925

This is a reproduction of a block-book printed in Germany. 59 woodcuts represent certain real or imaginary marvels in the natural world, explained by comparison the virgin birth. The date 1470 occurs on the first page, preceded by the initials F.W., generally believed to refer to the artist Friedrich Walther. The authorship of the descriptive text appended to each woodcut is ascribed to Franciscus de Retza, whose name appears in a different version (Regensburg, Johannes Eysenhut, 1471)
Estense Apocalypse
Call Number: Special Coll Rare (oversize) -- ND3361.R52 B535 1998 v. 1-2

Publication Date: Netherlands or Germany, circa 1460

Modena, Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, D.5.22

The Estense Apocalypse is a printed block-book from circa 1460, whose images were hand colored. Block-books were printed from a technique where the whole mise-en-page, text and image, was made in woodcut as a potentially cheaper alternative to using typeset. The imagery of the Estense Apocalypse is similar to the early 15th-century, Flemish school and contemporary German Bibliae Pauperum.

High Quality Color Facsimile with Italian Commentary
Biblia Pauperum : Apocalypsis
Call Number: Special Coll Rare (double oversize) -- BT225.B5 1978

Publication Date: Germany, mid-14th century

Weimar, Zentralbibliothek der Deutschen Klassik, Fol. max. 4

Biblia Pauperum means Paupers’ Bible and refers to a type of picture bible that used visual typological comparisons to teach lessons. They are similar to Bible moralisée but use less text and are more commonly written in vernacular languages. The Biblia Pauperum was a popular genre of printed and block-books.

High Quality Color Facsimile with German Commentary
Gutenberg Bible: [Isaiah XX-XXIII, 8]
Call Number: Special Coll Vault (double oversize) -- BS1514.L3 V8 1455

Publication Date: 1455?

[2] p. on 1 leaf (2 columns, 42 lines); 38 x 29 cm. in folder 52 x 38 cm.

An illuminated leaf printed on both sides, from the original ed. of the 42-line Gutenberg Bible printed in Mainz, ca. 1454-55, comprising the last part of chapter 19:23-24, chapters 20-22, 23:1-8 of the book of Isaiah (O.T.).

External Sources for Early Print

Block Books from the Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection
A collection of digitized block books from the Library of Congress.
Incunabula
An online exhibition by the Library of Congress about the early history of printing. This site features many quality images of early printed books.