[Incunabula] Amerbach, Johann (printer)Biblia LatinaBasel: Johann Amerbach, 1479. Folio (279 x 203 mm). 538 leaves. Collation: a-y10, A-T10, U12, X-Y10, 1-8(10), 9-10(8). 47 lines, double column, headlines, X2v-10(8)r with printed sidenotes. Gothic type (type: 1:185G, 2:81G, 3:92G). Initials rubricated in red and blue throughout entire volume. Original wooden boards, leather almost entirely perished, front and rear board fore-edges severely chipped, worming and heavy wear to same, spine partially perished but sound; text leaves trimmed with some headlines partially shaved; scattered marginalia; varying degrees of dampstaining along bottom edge and at upper gutter and top edge of most leaves; some initials faded; soiling and dampstaining to front paste-down and first two leaves; creasing and short closed tears along fore-edge of first 31 leaves; b1 sprung; small loss at bottom corner of i6; P5-P6 fore-edge cut away but with no loss to text. Book-plate of Theological Seminary Library, Gettysburg, Pa., as well as donation book-plate of the Rev. Jeremiah Zimmerman on front paste-down. ISTC ib00561000; Goff B561; BMC III 745; GW 4236; VcBA 11002911."The glory of Basel started when Johann Amerbach (1443-1513) set up his press in 1477. A pupil of Johann Heynlin at the Sorbonne, where he obtained his degree as Master of Arts, Amerbach made the press the vehicle of the Christian humanism of his teacher. A scholar and aesthete himself, he saw to it that his editions were not only printed with fastidious taste but also edited with care and accuracy." (p. 48, Steinberg. "Five Hundred Years of Printing")Amerbach's first Bible to include the marginal concordance system in the New Testament, which enabled easier reference to biblical passages; it had first appeared in printed form in Basel printer Bernhard Richel's Bible of 1477. Only five copies of Amerbach's first Bible appear in the auction record. Rare.PROVENANCE:Rev. Dr. Jeremiah ZimmermanUnited Lutheran Seminary