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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: 48
Out of copyright (called public domain in the USA), hence royalty-free for all purposes usage credit requested, or as marked.
Book cover, Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.)
This ornamental book cover, with its baroque border, is marked Munich (München) 1922; presumably the book was either rebound or reissued in 1922. [more...] [$]
Ornate border from 1878 Title Page (red version)
This is the ornate decorative border from the title page of this book; it features cherubs or putti (naked boys with wings) holding up giant urns or vases; mermaids and mermen; angels, vines, flowers and leaves, all in one border or frame! Although the border is probably from a medieval/mediaeval or renaissance source, it would of course [...] [more...] [$]
Antique/Vintage Chain-link Border (coloured)
This full-page border is made up of circles linked together like a chain, with a woodcut engraved shaded background. I used orange red and black; the original woodcut is printed in plain black, with no ink (white) where I have the red and orange. [more...] [$]
62a.—Initial capital letter “A” from Dance of Death Alphabet
This decorative initial letter “A”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein the Younger and dating from 1523. It features a skeleton banging a drum (or tabor) with a bone, and also playing a fife, followed by another skeleton waving a banner, or possibly playing a trumpet. Some commentators say they are marching through a graveyard [...] [more...] [$]
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