Michel Wolgemut, “City of Marseille”, 1493

Michel Wolgemut (or Michael Wohlgemuth) (1434–1519)—possibly in collaboration with Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (c. 1458–1494)

Leaf with woodcut, “City of Marseille” (or as described in the German text, “Massillia”), 1493 (German Edition, published December 23)

Technical Details & Condition:

Woodcut with incunabula letterpress German text on laid paper, complete with margins as issued.  The leaf features a large woodcut and is page 61 (“LXI”) from Hartmann Schedel‘s (1440–1514) “Nuremberg Chronicle” (Liber Chronicarum), published in Nuremberg by Anton Koberger (1445–1513).

The recto features a large woodcut “prospect” of the city of Marseille (Massillia). As was common in 15th-century cartography, this woodblock serves as a generalized representation of a fortified Mediterranean port rather than a surveyed map; notably, this same block was reused by Koberger to represent other cities (such as Verona and Nicea) elsewhere in the Chronicle.

The verso (reverse) features five smaller woodcut portraits representing a lineage of ancient wisdom:

• “Pherecides Philosophus” (Pherecydes of Syros)
• “Pytagoras Philosophus” (Pythagoras)
• “Sopho poetissa” (Sappho)
• “Ezechiel propheta” (Ezekiel)
• “Daniel propheta” (Daniel)

These portraits exemplify the “generic” woodcut style of the period, where the same block was often used to depict multiple historical figures across the 1,809 illustrations in the book. 

The woodcuts and accompanying letterpress text are richly inked and well-printed. There are minor surface marks consistent with age; a small area of thinning at the upper right corner (recto) from previous mounting—this does not affect the printed image. Aside from these minor issues, the sheet remains in excellent antiquarian condition for its large size and age, free of tears, holes, folds, or significant stains. 

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 44.5 x 31.5 cm
• Image borderline of “City of Marseille”: 19.5 x 22.7 cm

References:

• The British Museum offers a detailed description of the Nuremberg Chronicle (see “Curator’s comments”): https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1870-1008-1938-1-136

Price & Shipping:

AU$426 (approximately US$299.21 / €258.49 / £224.27), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this rare and large woodcut—a lifetime impression from 1493 and a true masterpiece of the incunabula period, printed at the very time Leonardo da Vinci was painting his famous “The Last Supper”—please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will be happy to send a PayPal invoice for a smooth and secure purchase. 

This print has been sold 

Antoninus Florentinus, “Summa Sacrae Theologiae”, c.1478 (Leaf 3)

Rubricated leaf from Antoninus Florentinus’ “Summa Sacrae Theologiae,” c.1478 (Leaf 3)

Technical Details & Condition:
An extraordinarily rare, large, and beautifully rubricated incunable leaf, published between 1477 and 1479 in Nuremberg by the renowned printer and godfather of Albrecht Dürer, Anton Koberger (c.1440/45–1513). This exceptional leaf originates from the first edition of Antoninus Florentinus’ (1389–1459) seminal work, “Summa Sacrae Theologiae”—a cornerstone of moral theology.

• Letterpress text printed recto and verso on laid paper of imperial folio size, complete with full margins, as originally issued
• Unfaded, richly rubricated capitals, attributed to an unidentified Nuremberg artist
• The leaf is in excellent condition for its age and size—free of tears, folds, abrasions, or significant stains. Light age-toning is visible along the edges, with a vertical “wormhole” on the binding edge

Dimensions:
• Sheet: 48.5 x 33 cm

References:
• Hain-Cop. 1242 (Walter Arthur Copinger, “Supplement to Hain's Repertorium bibliographicum, or, Collections toward a new edition of that work: in two parts,” London, H. Sotheran and Co., p. 3, cat. no. 1242)— see https://archive.org/details/b29004627_0001/page/32/mode/1up
• GW 2186 (“Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke,” Stuttgart, Anton Hiersemann, cat. no. 02186)— see https://www.gesamtkatalogderwiegendrucke.de/docs/GW02186.htm
• Archive.org hosts six pages from the publication from which this leaf originates: https://archive.org/details/images_KG02_46
• Christie’s Auctions provides a detailed description of the publication: https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/books-manuscripts-photographs-middle-ages-moon/antoninus-florentinus-1389-1459-19/116504

Price & Shipping:
AU$386 (approximately US$273.20 / €230.14 / £200.08), including worldwide express shipping.
Please note that import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in this rare glimpse into 15th-century Nuremberg scholarly life, don’t hesitate to contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I’m happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a smooth and safe transaction.

Michel Wolgemut, “Saxonia magna germanie provincial”, 1493

Michel Wolgemut (or Michael Wohlgemuth) (1434–1519)—possibly in collaboration with Wilhelm Pleydenwurff (circa 1458–1494)

“Saxonia magna germanie provincial” (title as lettered), or in translation, “Saxony, a large province of Germany”, 1493

Technical Details & Condition:

Woodcut with incunabula letterpress Latin text on laid paper, complete with margins as issued. The leaf features a large woodcut and is page 282 (numbered at upper right on the verso, “CCLXXXI” [281]) from Hartmann Schedel‘s (1440–1514) “Nuremberg Chronicle” (Liber Chronicarum), published in Nuremberg by Anton Koberger (1445–1513). The woodcut is a lifetime impression depicting a bird's-eye view of the German region of Saxony. Interestingly, the same image is used as an illustration in descriptions of other locations within the publication. Given this, the scene may lean more towards fantasy than a precise geographical depiction.

The woodcut and its accompanying letterpress text are richly inked and well-printed. There are a few small wormholes, and the sheet exhibits the expected age-toning; otherwise, it is in remarkably fine condition for its age and large size.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 44.6 x 28 cm
• Image borderline of woodcut: 23.2 x 23 cm

References:

• The British Museum offers a detailed description of the Nuremberg Chronicle (see “Curator’s comments”): https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1870-1008-1938-1-136

Price & Shipping:

AU$426 (approximately US$298.38 / €250.94/ £217.48), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this exceptionally rare and large woodcut—a lifetime impression from 1493, and a true masterpiece of the incunabula period that was printed at the very time Leonardo da Vinci was painting his famous “The Last Supper”—please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will be happy to send a PayPal invoice for a smooth and secure purchase.

This print has been sold

Rubricated leaf from Antoninus Florentinus’ “Summa Sacrae Theologiae”, circa 1478

An extraordinarily rare, large, and beautifully rubricated incunable leaf, published between 1477 and 1479 in Nuremberg by the renowned printer and godfather of Albrecht Dürer, Anton Koberger (c. 1440/45–1513). This exceptional leaf originates from the first edition of Antoninus Florentinus’ (1389–1459) seminal work, Summa Sacrae Theologiae—a cornerstone of moral theology.

Technical Details & Condition:

Letterpress text on laid paper of imperial folio size with full margins, as originally issued. The leaf is printed on both recto and verso, featuring rich unfaded rubricated embellishments attributed to an unidentified Nuremberg artist. The letterpress text is crisp and nearly faultless. The leaf is in excellent condition, with only minor age toning to the edges.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 48.3 x 32.6 cm

References:

• Archive.org offers an online view of six other pages from Antoninus Florentinus’ Summa Sacrae Theologiae: https://archive.org/details/images_KG02_46
• Christie’s Auctions describes this publication: https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/books-manuscripts-photographs-middle-ages-moon/antoninus-florentinus-1389-1459-19/116504
• See my previous listing of a different page from the same publication: https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2025/10/rubricated-leaf-from-antoninus.html

Price & Shipping:

AU$386 (approx. US$266.28 / €225.22 / £195.14), including worldwide express shipping. Please note that import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in this rare glimpse into 15th-century Nuremberg scholarly life, don’t hesitate to contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I’m happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a smooth and safe transaction.

This print has been sold