I'm still getting caught up from being on vacation, but here are a few links to some interesting looking books.

Brunschwig, Hieronymus: Destilierbuch, Frankfurt [ca. 1565] [VD16 B 8730]
A book on distillery with detailed drawings of the equipment and furnaces used in the process. The cover of the book is quite interesting too, as its dark velum with white text!

Bock, Hieronymus: Verae, atque ad vivum expressae imagines omnium herbarum, Straßburg 1553 [VD16 B 6027]
An herbal book, with detailed drawings of plants with their Latin and period German common names

Georgijevic, Bartolomej / Herold, Johannes: Türkey, oder von yetziger Türken Kirchengepräng, Sytten und leben, Basel 1545 [VD16 D 3043]
I think this is a Turkey travel guide for merchants. It has a section containing a Turkish-German glossary, as well as Turkish sentences and German translations. Very interesting.

Regiomontanus, Johannes: Kalender, Straßburg 1532 [VD16 M 6542]

Astrological calendar for 1533.

Goldwurm, Kaspar: Kirchen Calender. Ein Christlich vñ nützlich Buch Jn welchem nach Ordnung gemeiner Calender die Monat Tag vnd die fürnembsten Fest des gantzen jars mit jrem gebrauch Auch der Heiligen Apostel vnd Christlichen Bischoff Leerer vnd Martyrer Glaub Leben vnd bestendige bekantnuß ... kürtzlich verfasset vnd mit schoenen Figuren gezieret ... Caspar Goltwurm Athesinus., Frankfurt/Main 1559 [VD16 ZV 26109]

Church calendar for 1559

Cranach, Lucas (der Ältere) Rhau, Georg: Hortvlvs animae, Mit schönen lieblichen Figuren ; 1547, [Wittemberg] 1548 [VD16 R 1687]
Printed Book of Hours, illustrations done by Lucas Cranach the Elder.

Schachzabel-Spiel, Oppenheim s.a. [VD16 M 4619]

A chess game manual, dated between 1518-1600.

Krantz, Albert / Faber, Basilius: Saxonia, Weithleufftige, fleissige und richtige beschreibung, der Ankunfft, Sitten, Regiment, Religion, Policeyen, Kriegen, Verrückungen, Vermehrungen, und allerley Geschichten, Hendel und tapfferer thaten der Sachsen, So sich etliche hundert jahr vor Christi geburt,und folgends biß uber das jahr Christi M. D. IIII. zugetragen ..., Leipzig 1582 [VD16 K 2263]

Chronicles of Saxony, as written by Albert Krantz in 1520.


Was Kostung über Herzog Georgs (des Reichen) von Landshut Hochzeit erlaufen 1474-1475 - BSB Cgm 1953, [S.l.] Bayern 16. Jh. [BSB-Hss Cgm 1953]
Costs of the wedding of Herzon Georgs wedding in 1474-1475

Fuchs, Leonhart: Den Nieuwen Herbarius dat is dboeck vanden cruyden int welcke met groote neersticheyt bescreuen is niet alleen die gantse historie dat is die namen ... maer oock alle de wortelen, stelen, bladeren, bloemen, ..., Met drij Tafelen oft Registers waeraf die twee eeste inhouden den naem van alle cruyden ... Inde derde Tafele vindtmen terstont menigerhande medicijnen ende raet tot alle sieckten ..., Basel [ca. 1543] [VD16 ZV 6280]

Leonhart Fuchs' The New Herbal book. Has latin and common names of plants, as well as detailed drawings of the male and female plants.

Alexander / Winter, Johann: Libri duodecim (de arte medica), Basilea 1556 [VD16 A 1784]
The Medical Arts. Also has a very nice parchment binding, the front paste down has come up and you can see the velum strips that were glued down between the thongs for support of the back.

Gabelkover, Oswald: Artzneybuch, Tübingen 1589 [VD16 G 15]

A doctor's book for treating various types of wounds. Starts with basic head wounds and covers the rest. Its rather long at 1000+ pages, haven't discovered if there are pictures or if its just mainly text.

Ains Ersamen Raths der Stadt Augspurg Hochzeitordnung, [Augsburg] 1540 [VD16 A 4110]

Wedding ordinances for Augsburg, 1540. Lots of regulations about the food that can be served, dancing and social class regulations.

Just two books out of the feed for this Monday

Cookbook of Bartholomew Plantina, Augsburg 1542. Its got a great front plate showing the cook in the kitchen with all his tools.
Platina, Bartholomaeus: Von allen Speysen unnd Gerichte[n] [et]c. Aller hand art künstlich un[d] wol zu kochen, einmachen und bereiten, Dabey eins yede[n] Essens wirckung und natur, zu auffenthaltung menschlicher gesundtheyt. Wie man Wein und Essig wol erziehen, behalten und widerbringen, Auch mit aller hand Kreütern un[d] Specereyenn zu gesundthayt, bereyten und gebrauchen soll. Alles new und ordenlich zusamen gebracht, Augsburg 1542 [VD16 K 2510]

Fruck, Ludwig: Rhetoric und Teutsch Formular in allen Gerichts Händlen, Franckfurt a. M. 1530 [VD16 F 3149]
A forumla book for notaries and scribes, Frankfurt am Main, 1530. The frontispiece has a really great little picture of various scribal tools, including a pen case and inkwell, pens and a pen knife, ruler, string, scissors, packets of something and what looks like a large toothed comb (perhaps used for making lines on paper?), not really sure what the various lumps and other things are.

Two interesting books today, one in Latin (which I don't read) and one on field medicine, with really cool pictures of performing procedures out in the field! (Most of them aren't gory, promise)

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Münster, Sebastian: Compositio horologiorum, in plano, muro, truncis, anulo, concavo, cylindro & variis quadrantibus, cum signorum zodiaci & diversarum horarum inscriptionibus, Basileae 1531 [VD16 M 6651]

No idea what the text says, but its got really cool looking diagrams.

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Gersdorff, Hans von: Feldbuch der Wundartzney, Straßburg 1528 [VD16 G 1620]

I thought this was cool because it showed the medical instruments, as well as detailed anatomical diagrams. Its also got some great vignette scenes of them performing field medicine with the battle going on behind them. Nice drawings from a clothing perspective, good attention to detail.

Dear BSB,
Enough already with the Theology texts, the multiple copies of the same edition of Ars Morbidia, etc. Please put these on the list of things to be digitized next?

These are all from the BSB-Catalog, but not digitized yet, or at least if they are I can't find them.

( clothing ordniances )

Des Radts der Alten Stadt Magdeburgk Ordnung vbern Ehebruch, Gelübdn, Wirdschafften, vnd Kleidung, Magdeburgk 1544 [VD16 M 137]
Ordinances from Magdeburg, 1544, the ones relating to clothing start on page 30 and the women's on page 34

Is it somewhat scary that I can actually read and understand this text, but can't make heads or tails out of the Zwei Schuaben book?

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Bambergische Halßgerichts-ordnung, Bamberg 1507 [VD16 B 256]
Court book from Bamberg, 1507. I believe its a book detailing the punishments for each crime. Its handwritten and the calligraphy is clear and beautiful, but very readable. Its got some really nice color scenes depicting the court and only one slightly gory one towards the end.

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Just because I thought this was interesting...
School Ordinances, 1556
Ottheinrich : Schul Ordnung, Wie dieselbige inn des Durchleuchtigisten Hochgebornen Fürsten vnnd Herrn, Hern Ottheinrichs, Pfaltzgrauen bey Rhein, des heiligen Römischen Reichs Ertzdruchsessen, vnnd Churfürsten, Hertzogen inn Nidern vnd Obern Bayrn [et]c. Chur vnnd Fürstenthumben gehalten werden soll, Neuburg an der Thunaw 1556 [VD16 P 2151]

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Albrecht : Bairische Lanndtß// 15 ordnung 53 //, Ingoldtstat 1553 [VD16 B 1034]
Bavarian Ordinances of 1553. Quite a wide range of items here from regulations for linen weavers to musicians and Jews, and then just about everything in between. There is a nice index at the back and a table of contents in the front.

The theme of the day is book illustrations.

Ars moriendi ©Quamvis secundum philosophum ..., [Leipzig] [ca. 1495/98] [BSB-Ink A-771 - GW 2577]
I believe that this is an illustrated volume of the types of temptations that a man faces while on his death bed. Sort of the medieval version of his life flashing before his eyes?

Von dem sterben ein nützbarlich büchlein, wie ein yder christen mensch recht jn warem christen glaube[n] sterbe[n] sol vn[d] die anfechtung des bösen geystes widersteen, Landßhut 1520 [VD16 S 8184]
A slightly later work on the same death-bed subject. The title page has the nicest illustration.

Almanach, [Augsburg] [ca. 1477/78] [BSB-Ink A-341 - GW 1325]
A nice broadsheet almanach for 1478

Abu-Ma°sar Ga°far Ibn-Muhammad / Johannes : Flores Albumasaris, Augsburg 1488.11.18. [BSB-Ink A-227 - GW 837]
For those of you interested in astrology and astronomy, a period text on the subject, with really nice line drawings of the signs and planets.

Aesopus / Steinhöwel, Heinrich: Fabulae, Sammlung des Heinrich Steinhöwel, [Augsburg] [ca. 1477/78] [BSB-Ink A-70 - GW 352] Aesop's Fables again, but this time the woodcuts have been hand painted in four or five colors. There are several of these Aesop's fables that are painted that the BSB has recently digitized, but this is the nicest one I've seen yet. The scenes are rich in detail and humor.
The binding looks original to me, the leather covering the spine may have been replaced. It probably originally looked like this one from 1483

König, Kilian: Processes und Practica der Gerichts leuffte, nach dem Gebrauch Sechsischer Landart, Leipzig 1541 [VD16 K 1847] The frontispiece on this book is especially nice for the dancing couples and Salome scene.

Ryff, Walther Hermann: Die kleyner Chirurgei, Straßburg 1542 [VD16 R 3916] Another medical book, not as many illustrations in this one though.

Aesopus / Steinhöwel, Heinrich / Brant, Sebastian: Esopus leben vnd Fabeln, mit sampt den fabeln Aniani, Adelfonsi vnd etlichen schimpffreden Pogij. Darzu vßzüge schöner fabeln vn[d] exempeln Doctors Sebastian Brant, Freiburg im Breyßgaw 1535 [VD16 A 549]

This edition of Aesop's fables and Brandt's collection of fables and moral sayings was originally printed in 1501. The little illustrations on just about every page are really well done and quiet intriguing to look at. I have not found an English translation of this specific work yet.

Google translated page on the edition

When the rest of the day is going so-so, the research usually goes great

First off, the BSB has an RSS feed of all the new works that they digitize each day. This has turned up some really pretty book title pages, and a few good books

Its also a great place to find interesting book bindings....

Their last 15 digitized books


The Working RSS feeds page is in German only. There is an English RSS feeds page, but the feeds don't work, unfortunatly. You'll want the one labeled "Gesamtliste", or the whole list. There isn't one for 16th century books only, like there is for other centuries.

Today's little goodie from the feed is this
Paracelsus / Bodenstein, Adam von: Drei Bücher Von wunden und schäden, sampt allen jren zufellen, und derselben vollkommener Cur, Des Hochgelarten unnd weitberhümpten Aureoli Theophrasti Paracelsi von Hohenheim, Vormals nie im Truck außgangen, Franckfurt am Meyn 1563 [VD16 P 720]

Or Three books on wounds and sores, written by Paraclesus and Adam Bodenstein, published in Frankfurt am Main in 1563

Doctor dressing wounds in an army camp
Detailed drawing of his tools and the case they are kept in.

Project Gutenberg has an English translation of the text. Main page to download the text

University of Houston has a list of the illustrations, with translated titles and and artist attributions. Why am I not surprised that Albrecht Durer was one of the major artists for this book?

It was originally published in 1494, which makes much more sense than 1512 when you start looking at the women's styles in the illustrations.

Sebastian Brant's Narrenschiff (The Ship of Fools), was a very influential book in the early 16th century. The illustrations are rich with little details and humor.

More fun stuff from BSB

Paul Mair's De Arte Athletica, Volume I and II, Augsburg middle of the 16th century, BSB Cod.icon. 393 1 and 2
Volume 1: http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/codicon/Band_bsb00006570.html
Volume 2: http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/codicon/Band_bsb00007894.html

This book is in FULL color and has some of the most beautiful men's clothes I've ever seen! Here's an example from Vol 1

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Hans Burgkmair: Turnierbuch - Copy of the Original of Hans Burgkmair the Elder. - BSB Cod.icon. 403, Augsburg 1540
http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/codicon/Band_bsb00015125.html

Tourney book of Hans Burgkmair, lots of great horse barding, armour, and some clothes.

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Turnierbuch. Ritterspiele gehalten von Kaiser Friedrich III. und Kaiser Maximilian I. in den Jahren 1489 - 1511 - BSB Cod.icon. 398
Augsburg ? 1550
http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/codicon/Band_bsb00002178.html

Plates showing matches from tourney's in 1497, 1498, 1491 and 1511

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Schriber, Stephan: Spätgotisches Musterbuch des Stephan Schriber - BSB Cod.icon. 420
Urach um 1494
http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/codicon/Band_bsb00019746.html

Late Gothic Pattern Book, more cool calligraphy and illumination sample book.

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Kleinodienbuch der Herzogin Anna von Bayern - BSB Cod.icon. 429
München 1552 - 1555
http://mdzx.bib-bvb.de/codicon/Band_bsb00006598.html

Jewelry catalog book of Herzogin Anna of Bavaria painted by Hans Mielich. Here's just a sample

Bellicorum instrumentorum liber cum figuris - BSB Cod.icon. 242, Venedig 1420 - 1430

For the earlier war time crowd, and other mechanical folks. Lots of interesting inventions and other sorts of diagrams. Not quite sure what to make of this one, but its certainly has some interesting ideas in it.

If your are looking for that off the wall A&S idea, this might be a good book to look through.

For my very early period friends, a Traditionsbücher from 1166-1196, the only surviving one to belong to a noble family and not a cleric.

Codex Falkensteinensis, Herrenchiemsee 1166

Today was not really the best day here, there was lots of failure on several fronts, but its always nice when the day ends on a good note.

First off, someone has posted really nice pictures of Jost Amman's Tourney picture from 1561 on Wikimedia.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gesellen-Stechen_1561

Then the BSB has put up Talhoffer's Fechtbuch in color,
Thalhofer, Hans: Fechtbuch von 1467 - BSB Cod.icon. 394 a, [S.l.] Schwaben 1467
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/0002/bsb00020451/images/

Then to cap the day!
Zeugbuch Kaiser Maximilians I. - BSB Cod.icon. 222, Innsbruck um 1502
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/0002/bsb00020956/images/

The Zeugbuch or Thing Book, of Kaiser Maximilian I, is a beautiful full color illustration of his war machine in action. All the war equipment you could ever ask for, pages upon pages of cannon, with the occasional soldier thrown in for spice.

It is really cool in that it shows in exacting detail how the cannons are mounted on the carts, how they are transported.

Interesting buckets and bags

Pikeman, and pike parts

Not sure of this weapon, but I love the view of the hat on the ground

Smaller size guns, with the gunners

Small size cannons, with gunners, love the Rock on the guy on the left

Rough pen sketch of two soldiers

The calligraphy and borders are really nice too throughout the entire book, especially the decorative pen work capitals towards the back, really beautiful stuff!

The BSB has been busy of late, and has put out a list of ALL of their many digital collections in English

Among the really cool finds I discovered on a very short search are:

Bonus, they are all in color!

BSB Cod Icon 341, Costume of the Men and Women in Augsburg, Nürnberg, Germany, Europe, Africa and the Orient.

BSB Cod.Icon 342 A circa 1600 copy of the Trachtenbuch of Christoph Weiditz

Zeichnungen von Trachten und Gebräuchen aus dem osmanischen Reich, Persien und der Neuen Welt - BSB Cod.icon. 342 k, circa 1570 Clothes and other things from the Turkish Empire, Persian and related countries.

Kostüme und Sittenbilder des 16. Jahrhunderts aus West- und Osteuropa, Orient, der Neuen Welt und Afrika - BSB Cod.icon. 361 Augsburg ? 1560 - 1570 Clothing and Portrait book from 16th century, of West and East Europe, the Orient, New World and Africa.

Here's the page that lists the subject matter that all the Iconigraphic Codices fall into. Click on the subject and it will pull up all the manuscripts. Not all are digitized yet, but a lot are.


Have fun!

So I don't lose these period handwriten manuscripts that I'm going to use as a reference to create the hands with which to write ABC and Our Father with

Pfefferkorn, Johann: Brantspiegell, [fängt an:] Abzotraiben vnd aus zulesche[n] eines vngegrunte[n] laster buechleyn mit namen Auge[n], spiegell So Johannes Raichlein lerer der rechten, gegen vnd wyder mich Johannes Pfefferkorn erdicht, gedruckt, vn[d] offentlich vormals vßgeen hat lassen Dar gege[n] ich mey[n] vnschult allen menschen gruntlich tzu verneme[n] vn[d] tzu vercleren in desez gegenwyrdige[n] buechgelgyn gena[n]t Brantspiegell. gethan hab, Collen [1512]
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00004431/images/index.html?seite=11

Brack, Wenceslaus: Vocabularius rerum, Argentina 1512
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/0001/bsb00010979/images/index.html?seite=3

Taschen büchlin Kloster, Auß ainem closter in dem Riess Kompt dises Täschenbüchlein süß Das der mensch soll bey jm tragen Vnd damit sein veind verjagen, Augspurg 1512
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00004929/images/index.html?id=00004929&fip=72.218.227.42&no=&seite=8

Bertschi, Nikolaus: Wappenbuch besonders deutscher Geschlechter - BSB Cod.icon. 308, Augsburg 1515 - 1650
** This one has an alphabetical listing of all the family names, very easy to use.**
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00001364/images/index.html?seite=1

Collectaneus de viris illustribus, literae a-F - BSB Clm 22103, [S.l.] 1523
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/0002/bsb00020025/images/index.html?seite=4

Hortulus anime, Straßburg 1504
** Beautiful hand**
http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00005610/images/index.html?seite=9

Here are more fun online manuscripts from the Bavarian State Library (BSB)

Books of Coats of arms from Italy,
Insignia ... X. Insignia nobilium Patavinorum, impresa Ferrariensium, Pesariensium - BSB Cod.icon. 275, middle 16th century
Insignia ... XI. Insignia nobilium Veronensium, Vicentinorum - BSB Cod.icon. 276,middle 16th century
Insignia ... XII. Insignia Florentinorum - BSB Cod.icon. 277
Insignia ... XIII. Insignia Lucensium, Senensium, Pisanorum, Pistoianorum, Volterranorum, Aretinorum, Cortonensium, Borgo a S. Sepolcro - BSB Cod.icon. 278
Insignia ... XIV. Insignia Neapolitanorum, Genuensium - BSB Cod.icon. 279
Insignia ... XV. Insignia equitum Gallici ordinis Sancti Michaelis - BSB Cod.icon. 280

A really pretty illustrated book,
Historische Beschreibung der Kindtauf des Fräuleins Elisabeth zu Hessen, Kassel 1598

German Wappenbuchen
Ortenburger Wappenbuch - BSB Cod.icon. 308 u, [S.l.] Bayern 1466 - 1473
Stammbuch des Johann Kandler d.J. aus Regensburg - BSB Cod.icon. 326 a, Regensburg 1586 - 1601

Nice handwriting in this one, in a much less formal script.
Bertschi, Nikolaus: Wappenbuch besonders deutscher Geschlechter - BSB Cod.icon. 308, Augsburg 1515 - 1650

Sammelband mehrerer Wappenbücher - BSB Cod.icon. 391, [S.l.] Süddeutschland (Augsburg ?) um 1530

A book on the paternoster?
Ein nutzlich außlegung über den hl. Paternoster, Augspurg 1513