New York City Museum Presents Rare Opportunity: Three Gutenberg Bibles on Display
"Bibliographers believe that Gutenberg and his successors printed between 120 and 135 copies of the Bible on paper and between 40 and 45 copies on vellum, of which nearly 50 copies survive, not all in good condition."
A report in the Boston Globe notes an extraordinary opportunity to view three versions of Gutenberg's Bible, printed in the 15th Century, on display at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City. (Photo: Boston Globe)
Below is an excerpt from an explanation by the Morgan Library:
"The invention of printing is commonly credited to Johann Gutenberg…he set up one, possibly two, workshops in Mainz, Germany, and raised a considerable sum of money for the production of the Bible, which was completed around 1455. Bibliographers believe that Gutenberg and his successors printed between 120 and 135 copies of the Bible on paper and between 40 and 45 copies on vellum, of which nearly 50 copies survive, not all in good condition. A complete copy contains the Latin Vulgate text of the Bible in 1,282 pages, usually bound in two stout volumes."
To watch a video about the Gutenberg Bible on display, follow the link provided.
