Galleries: index · 
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Galleries: index · ·
![[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: 45
Out of copyright (called public domain in the USA), hence royalty-free for all purposes usage credit requested, or as marked.
![[picture: Fantasy Romantic Border with Eros, Cherubs and Mermaids]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/023-fantasy-romantic-border-q83-135x200.jpg "[picture: Fantasy Romantic Border with Eros, Cherubs and Mermaids]")
Fantasy Romantic Border with Eros, Cherubs and Mermaids
This ornate rococo border surrounded the title of a 1516 book printed in Germany: [more...] [$]
![[picture: 62p.---Initial capital letter ``P'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/062-hans-holbein-1523-death-letter-p-q75-201x200.jpg "[picture: 62p.---Initial capital letter ``P'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]")
62p.—Initial capital letter “P” from Dance of Death Alphabet.
This decorative initial letter “P”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. The skeleton figures in the alphabet represent death. This letter, P, includes a battle between a skeleton, representing Death, and a soldier. At first I tought the soldier was an early aircraft pilot wearing goggles, but it seems unlikely [...] [more...] [$]
![[picture: Full-page foliated border from 1478.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/003-foliated-border-from-1478-blank-q80-145x200.jpg "[picture: Full-page foliated border from 1478.]")
Full-page foliated border from 1478.
This ornate foliated border is festive (because I coloured it red) and swirly. It’s from the title page of a 1478 book, over 500 years old. [more...] [$]
![[picture: 62z.---Initial capital letter ``Z'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/062-hans-holbein-1523-death-letter-z-q80-198x200.jpg "[picture: 62z.---Initial capital letter ``Z'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]")
62z.—Initial capital letter “Z” from Dance of Death Alphabet.
This decorative initial letter “Z”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. Appropriately for the end of the alphabet, this drop cap Z shows the end of the world and the bodily [...] [more...] [$]
![[picture: 62g.---Initial capital letter ``G'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Butsch-RenaissanceOrnament/wm/big/062-hans-holbein-1523-death-letter-g-q85-200x200.jpg "[picture: 62g.---Initial capital letter ``G'' from Dance of Death Alphabet.]")
62g.—Initial capital letter “G” from Dance of Death Alphabet.
This decorative initial letter “G”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It shows two skeletons, or Death figures, siezing a queen; one skeleton plays the flute, or fife, [...] [more...] [$]
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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