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Americana & International Auction - Session Two

Fri, Apr 22, 2022 09:00AM EDT

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Lot 788

Important leaf from the Gutenberg Bible

Estimate: $20,000 - $40,000

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Sold for

$68,200

Sold Price includes BP

[4 Bids]Bidding History

Bid increments chart

Bid Increments

Price	Bid Increment
$0	$25
$500	$50
$1,000	$100
$2,000	$200
$5,000	$500
$10,000	$1,000
$20,000	$2,000
$50,000	$5,000
$100,000	$10,000
$200,000	$20,000
$500,000	$50,000

Important leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, printed by Johann Gutenberg and Johann Fust, 1455. The Gutenberg Bible is the first substantial book printed using movable type. Printed around 1455, the Noble Fragment leaves originate from an incomplete Gutenberg Bible, the Mannheim copy, sold at Sotheby's on November 9, 1920, to Joseph Sabin. The bible was missing 50 of its original 643 leaves. Sabin sold the bible to Gabriel Wells, a New York book dealer, who decided to split the incomplete book up into individual leaves, as well as a few sections, ultimately completing, or nearly completing, several other copies of the Gutenberg Bible. Individual leaves were purchased by private collectors for $150 each. The leaf here contains parts of the 2nd Book of Esdras, chapters 14 and 15, with forty-two lines of black ink, double columned, with red and blue Lombardic Capitals. The leaf is hinged into a dark blue Morocco leather portfolio and slip-case, the front containing a four page introduction by A. Edward Newton. Provenance: Christies, June 9, 1993, lot 14; The Estate of John Donnelly.

Competitive in-house shipping is available for this lot.

Condition

Leaf with minor staining and handling marks, one very small hole in bottom corner, near hinge, type in very good condition, cover with some wear to spine and edges, slip-case in poor structural condition, with several seams coming apart.

Available payment options

In-house shipping ("Competitive in-house shipping available," in the lot description.) We prefer not to split ship lots on one invoice between multiple shippers. In addition, we do not ship orders of more than 5 multiple item lots or 10 single item lots. Please contact Hannah Barchuk via email at shipping@pookandpook.com to give consent for Pook & Pook to ship your items. For shipment of orders not eligible for in-house shipping, the following companies have offered their services: For shipment of small to medium items, please contact one of the following 1. The Packaging Store hello@packandshipnow.com (215) 361-6940, fax: (215) 361-6941 2. Mail N More Plus mailnmoreplus@verizon.net 3. Philadelphia Mailroom phillymailroom@gmail.com (215) 745-1100 For shipment of large items (furniture, sculptures, etc.), the following companies have offered their services: 1. Craters and Freighters in Perkiomenville, PA www.cratersandfreighters.com philly@cratersandfreighters.com (610) 397-0488 2. Mt. Everest Moving Company in Ephrata, PA everestmoving.com everestmoving@gmail.com (717) 314-7647 All items must be picked up, or shipping arrangements made, within two weeks of the day of sale. NOTE: Items left here more than two weeks will incur storage fees at a rate of $5.00 per lot per day (this rate applies to all items regardless of size or value).