Breydenbach, Bernhard von.

[Peregrinatio in Terram Sanctam, Low German; on the last leaf:] Die heylighe beuarden tot dat heylighe grafft in iherusalem. en van daen totten berch Synai tot die heilighe maghet en martelarisse Sunte katherin ghedruct doir meister Eerhaert rewich van vtrecht in die Stadt van mentzs Int iaer ons heeren. m.cccc. acht endet achtich. opten. xxiiii. dach in Meye Endet salichliken [Mainz, Erhart Reuwich, May 24, 1488]. Fol. (ca. 283 x 214 mm). Gothic type, 42 lines, rubricated throughout. 149 (instead of 188) unnum. (quire count: a8, b4, 4 unsigned quires2, e8, f6, h-m8, n1-6, o6, p-q8, r6, s1 and 8, t-z8, *1-7). With 21 woodcuts (of 25): folio-sized title woodcut (fol. a1 verso), 1 double folio-sized and 4 multiple fold-out city views (instead of 7; present: Paros, Modon, Candia and Rhodes [fragmented]; the views of Venice, Jerusalem and Corfu are missing), 1 folio-sized woodcut with animals, 2 woodcuts with depictions of the tomb church in Jerusalem, 6 woodcuts with various types of people, 6 woodcuts (of 7) with alphabets and 1 woodcut printer's mark. Half marocco binding from ca. 1880 on five bands with gilt-stamped spine title and somewhat decorative blind embossing, cover covered with marbled paper (corners bumped, edges rubbed). ISTC ib01191000. GKW 5081. BMC I, P. 44 (IB 340). Goff B-1191 (only 3 copies!). Polain (B) 897, Schreiber 3633, Pellechet 2981, the only Low German edition of the "Peregrinationes" by Bernhard von Breydenbach, first printed in Latin in 1486, also by Reuwich in Mainz. Reuwich printed only three books in Mainz, always with the same title: on 11.II.1486 he completed the printing of the first edition of the "Peregrinatio" in Latin, on 21.VI.1486 the second printing in German and on 24.V.1488 this Low German edition. The translation of Breydenbach's travelogue was also made by Reuwich, who had taken part in Breydenbach's pilgrimage and had drawn views of the towns he visited. This Low German edition is far rarer than the two previous editions and the edition by Peter Drach in Speyer. - Bernhard von Breydenbach (d. 1497) had been a member of the Mainz cathedral chapter since 1450. His travelogue describes a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Sinai and Egypt. He undertook the journey together with a young Count Johann von Solms and a knight Philipp von Bicken in the spring of 1483, returning to his homeland at the beginning of 1484. The travelogue is a mixtum compositum of his own experiences and transcripts. The success of the book is also due to the extraordinarily impressive panoramic views of the cities; four of the seven views are included in our copy: Paros (ca. 266 x 390 mm), Modon (ca. 272 x 760 mm), Candia (ca. 256 x 760 mm) and Rhodes (fragmented; ca. 261 x 592 mm; about a third of the right half is missing). The spectacular views of Venice and Jerusalem, both measuring more than one meter in width, are missing, as is the view of Corfu. The remaining woodcuts show various types of people in traditional costumes and alphabets, as well as typical animals of the region: crocodile, camel, Indian goat, salamander, giraffe, etc. The woodcuts were probably made by Reuwich, who was trained as a form cutter. As a type, Reuwich used Schöffer's oldest so-called. "Schwabacher". Not a very good copy. Some text leaves and views as well as an alphabet are missing. The large views as always with mended tears and some holes; the view of Rhodes composed of two different copies. The title woodcut with a deep, glued tear. Some old repairs with paper strips in the wide white margins. Occasional tears in and out of margins (without loss of text), frequently with old repairs and backing. Faint traces of moisture in the margins of some leaves. Fingerprints and smudges occasionally. The image of the Jewish changer with contemporary marginalia in the outer margin. Ownership inscriptions by various hands on the first leaf, the second leaf and (repeatedly) on the penultimate leaf. At the beginning of the flyleaf an entry by the Swedish collector Baron Per Hierta, Främmestad, dated 1902.