Die Bücher-Ornamentik Der Renaissance (Vol. I.) (page 1/5)

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[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.)

Author: Butsch, A. F.

Published by: Verlag von G. Hirth

City: Leipzig

Date: 1878

Total items: 45

Out of copyright (called public domain in the USA), hence royalty-free for all purposes usage credit requested, or as marked.

Some sample images

[picture: Printing press, detail from border]

Printing press, detail from border

This picture shows two young men working an early hand-operated printing-press. The nearer man is pulling the bar that turns the pole with a screw-thread which in turn presses down on the platen and forces the paper (not visible) into the inked type (also not visible, because it’s under the paper that’s in the press). The curly-haired young man or [...] [more...]

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[picture: Antique/Vintage Chain-link Border (coloured)]

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...]

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[picture: Decorative initial letter I]

Decorative initial letter I

A decorative initial capital letter “I” used as a drop cap at the start of a chapter. This was probably cut into the side of a block of wood, which might explain why the letter is not quite vertical; the technique of engraving onto the end-grain of the block came [...] [more...]

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[picture: 62e.---Initial capital letter ``E'' from Dance of Death Alphabet]

62e.—Initial capital letter “E” from Dance of Death Alphabet

This decorative initial letter “E”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features a skeleton, representing [...] [more...]

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[picture: Eros (Cherub with Bow)]

Eros (Cherub with Bow)

An Eros, or cherub with a bow, from this ornate Renaissance border, a woodcut title page of a 1516 book. [more...]

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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.


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