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Galleries: index · 
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![[picture: Book cover, Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.)]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/tn/000-Front-Cover-q75-350x500.jpg "[picture: Book cover, Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.)]")
Engravings from “Die Bücher-Ornamentik Der Renaissance” (Book-Ornament of the Renaissance) by A. F. Butsch, Leipzig, 1878. Alfred Butsch was a famous bookseller and a collecter of antiquarian books; the engraved plates in the book reproduce illustrations from early printed books.
I bought my copy of this book (actually Volume II hasn’t arrive yet!) from a bookseller in Germany; there is also a fac simile by Dover, but the reproduction is not of the highest quality, so these images are better, if very incomplete.
I also have Volume II.
Title: Die Bücher-Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.)
Published by: Verlag von G. Hirth
City: Leipzig
Date: 1878
Total items: 46
Out of copyright (called public domain in the USA), hence royalty-free for all purposes usage credit requested, or as marked.
![[picture: 62z.---Initial capital letter ``Z'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/062-hans-holbein-1523-death-letter-z-q80-198x200.jpg "[picture: 62z.---Initial capital letter ``Z'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]")
62z.—Initial capital letter “Z” from Dance of Death Alphabet.
This decorative initial letter “Z”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. Appropriately for the end of the alphabet, this drop cap Z shows the end of the world and the bodily [...] [more...] [$]
![[picture: 62f.---Initial capital letter ``F'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/062-hans-holbein-1523-death-letter-f-q75-204x200.jpg "[picture: 62f.---Initial capital letter ``F'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]")
62f.—Initial capital letter “F” from Dance of Death Alphabet.
This decorative initial letter “F”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. Two grinning skeletons, representing Death, are attacking an empress sitting in her throne; one of the [...] [more...] [$]
![[picture: 62r.---Initial capital letter ``R'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/062-hans-holbein-1523-death-letter-r-q85-197x200.jpg "[picture: 62r.---Initial capital letter ``R'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]")
62r.—Initial capital letter “R” from Dance of Death Alphabet.
This decorative initial letter “R”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. The skeleton figures in the alphabet represent death. This letter, R, includes a skeletons, or Death, being fought by a jester or fool. The implication is [...] [more...] [$]
![[picture: Title page, Sayings of Alved]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/089-title-page-alved-sayings-q75-149x200.jpg "[picture: Title page, Sayings of Alved]")
![[picture: Ornate border from 1878 Title Page (red version)]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/000-title-page-border-red-q85-146x200.jpg "[picture: Ornate border from 1878 Title Page (red version)]")
Ornate border from 1878 Title Page (red version)
This is the ornate decorative border from the title page of this book; it features cherubs or putti (naked boys with wings) holding up giant urns or vases; mermaids and mermen; angels, vines, flowers and leaves, all in one border or frame! Although the border is probably from a medieval/mediaeval or renaissance source, it would of course [...] [more...] [$]
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