Ege mss. II, 1240-1923

Collection of Otto Ege, 1240-1923, at the Lilly Library, Indiana University

Finding aid created by Ava Dickerson

Title: Ege mss. II
Collection No.: LMC 2973
Dates: 1240-1923
Quantity:

Quantity: 1 Box

Abstract: The Ege mss. II, 1240-1923, consists of Otto Ege's Original Leaves from Famous Books - Eight Centuries portfolio of leaves collected from books deemed historically significant.
Location: Lilly - Vault 2
Language: Italian , Latin , Greek, Modern (1453-) , English .
Repository: Lilly Library
1200 E. Seventh St.
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-5500
Business Number: 812-855-2452
liblilly@indiana.edu
URL: https://libraries.indiana.edu/lilly-library

Biographical / Historical

Otto F. Ege, 1888-1951, was dean of the Cleveland Institute of Art and lecturer on the history of the book at the School of Library Science, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of copy 94 of 110 portfolios entitled "Original Leaves from Famous Books: Eight Centuries." Contained within are 25 leaves compiled by Otto Ege, as well as ten additional leaves not described in the printed contents leaf.

Some leaves feature in Scott Gwara's work Otto Ege's Manuscripts (Lilly Z109 .G93 2013). Leaves 1, 2, 3, and 4 correspond to Gwara's HL 54, 51, 51, and 52 respectively. This information is also available in the scope notes of the individual items.

For more information, see Checklist 21 in Disbound and Dispersed: The Leaf Book Considered by Christopher de Hamel and Joel Silver (Lilly Z1033 .L4 D4 2005).

Arrangement

The collection is arranged following original order within Ege's original custom portfolio.

Restrictions

Conditions Governing Access:

This collection is open for research.

Many collections are housed offsite; retrieval requires advance notice. Please make an appointment a minimum of one week in advance of your visit.

Conditions Governing Use:

Photography and digitization may be restricted for some collections. Copyright restrictions may apply. Before publishing, researchers are responsible for securing permission from all applicable rights holders, then filling out the Permission to Publish form.

Related Materials

See Ege mss. and Ege mss. III, also located at the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Item], Ege mss. II, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase: 2022

Collection Inventory

Box 1
1. St. Jerome - Vulgate Bible , 1240

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Illuminated manuscript on uterine vellum by Dominican Monk with blue and rubricated initials. 8-line initial "V" (fore-margin torn, not affecting text). France (Paris). See Gwara HL 54

Box 1
2. Aristotle - Nichomachean Ethics , 1365

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Manuscript on paper, written by a secular monk, probably for the University of Erfurt. Germany (Erfurt). See Gwara HL 51

Box 1
3. Aristotle - Nichomachean Ethics , 1365

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Manuscript on paper, written by a secular monk, probably for the University of Erfurt. Germany (Erfurt). See Gwara HL 51

Box 1
4. Livy - History of Rome , 1436

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Manuscript on vellum, cursive bookhand. Printed in red and black, manuscript manicula on verso. Italy (Livy). See Gwara HL 52

Box 1
5. Voragine - The Golden Legend , 1480

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Incunable letterpress leaf with small 3-line initial in red. The first publication of the press of Antonio de Strata who is noted for his textual accuracy. Italy (Venice)

Box 1
6. Dante - Divine Comedy , 1491

Language: Italian .

Scope and Contents: Incunable letterpress leaf with fine woodcut. Printed by Petrus de Piasio. Italy (Venice)

Box 1
7. Schedel - Nuremberg Chronicle , 1493

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Incunable letterpress leaf with genealogy woodcut on recto. Printed by Anton Koberger. Many of the illustrations are by Wolgemut. Germany (Nuremberg)

Box 1
8. The Justinian Code , 1512

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf in red and black. Printed by Thielman Kerver, one of the few French printers who continued to print in the Gothic manner in the Sixteenth Century. France (Paris)

Box 1
9. Pliny - Natural History , 1525

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. Edited by Erasmus and printed by his friend and patron, Johann Froben. Switzerland (Basel)

Box 1
10. Erasmus - Adages , 1528

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. This work was unfinished when erasmus' friend Johann Froben died. It was completed by Jerome, the printer's son. Switzerland (Basel)

Box 1
11. Vesalius - Anatomy , 1555

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf with two half-page woodcuts depicting leg bones. Printed in large size Garamond type by John Oporinus (Herbst). Historiated letters are attributed to Calcar, pupil of Titian. Switzerland (Basel)

Box 1
12. Petrarch - Sonnets and Canzoni , 1559

Language: Italian .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. Printed by Gabriel Giolito. Italy (Venice)

Box 1
13. Hippocrates - Writings , 1585

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. Printed by Lucantonio Giunta. Italy (Venice)

Box 1
14. John Gerard - History of Plants , 1597

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves with altogether five hand-colored woodcuts of plants, including one of the "Virginia Potato." First edition. The preparation of the work was commissioned by John Norton, alderman and printer to Queen Elizabeth. England (London)

Box 1
15. John Gerard - History of Plants , 1597

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves with altogether five hand-colored woodcuts of plants, including one of the "Virginia Potato." First edition. The preparation of the work was commissioned by John Norton, alderman and printer to Queen Elizabeth. England (London)

Box 1
16. John Gerard - History of Plants , 1597

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves with altogether five hand-colored woodcuts of plants, including one of the "Virginia Potato." First edition. The preparation of the work was commissioned by John Norton, alderman and printer to Queen Elizabeth. England (London)

Box 1
17. Richard Hakluyt - Voyages , 1598-1600

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. The printing of this large volume required all the material and financial resources of George Bishop, Rolfe Newberrie, and Robert Barker for a period of almost three years. Stained. England (London)

Box 1
18. Richard Hakluyt - Voyages , 1598-1600

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. The printing of this large volume required all the material and financial resources of George Bishop, Rolfe Newberrie, and Robert Barker for a period of almost three years. Stained. England (London)

Box 1
19. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer , 1602

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Second edition of Chaucer, printed by Adam Islip. It contains many "reforms" and "improvements," "...and the Latine and French not Englished by Chaucer, translated." Includes large woodcut of the Knight (heading "The Knight's Tale") flanked on both sides by ornamental woodcuts. England (London)

Box 1
20. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer , 1602

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Second edition of Chaucer, printed by Adam Islip. It contains many "reforms" and "improvements," "...and the Latine and French not Englished by Chaucer, translated." Includes large woodcut of the Knight (heading "The Knight's Tale") flanked on both sides by ornamental woodcuts. England (London)

Box 1
21. Miguel Cervantes - Don Quixote , 1608

Language: Spanish; Castilian .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. This third Madrid edition was printed three years after the first Juan de la Cuesta appeared. It is also known as the first "academic" edition because of its textual importance. Spain (Madrid)

Box 1
22. Miguel Cervantes - Don Quixote , 1608

Language: Spanish; Castilian .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. This third Madrid edition was printed three years after the first Juan de la Cuesta appeared. It is also known as the first "academic" edition because of its textual importance. Spain (Madrid)

Box 1
23. The Holy Bible - King James Version , 1611

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. This first issue is known as the great "He" Bible because Ruth III:15 reads "...and he went into the city," while the second issue uses the word "she." This was printed by Robert Barker, who advanced considerable amounts of money to the editors over a period of seven years. England (London)

Box 1
24. The Holy Bible - King James Version , 1611

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. This first issue is known as the great "He" Bible because Ruth III:15 reads "...and he went into the city," while the second issue uses the word "she." This was printed by Robert Barker, who advanced considerable amounts of money to the editors over a period of seven years. England (London)

Box 1
25. Francis Bacon - The Advancement of Learning; The New Atlantis; and other Writings , 1638

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Printed by John Haviland. England (London)

Box 1
26. Francis Bacon - The Advancement of Learning; The New Atlantis; and other Writings , 1638

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Printed by John Haviland. England (London)

Box 1
27. William Shakespeare - Comedies, Histories, Tragedies (Fourth Folio) , 1685

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Printed in Herringman's shop "the Sign of the Blue Anchor." Associated with H. Herringman in this venture were E. Brewster and R. Bentley. Includes the first page of "Othello" (added: facsimile of Martin Droeshout's engraved portrait of Shakespeare). England (London)

Box 1
28. William Shakespeare - Comedies, Histories, Tragedies (Fourth Folio) , 1685

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Printed in Herringman's shop "the Sign of the Blue Anchor." Associated with H. Herringman in this venture were E. Brewster and R. Bentley. Includes the first page of "Othello" (added: facsimile of Martin Droeshout's engraved portrait of Shakespeare). England (London)

Box 1
29. Samuel Johnson - Noetica and Ethica , 1752

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. Printed by Benjamin Franklin and D. Hall with contemporary annotations. United States (Philadelphia)

Box 1
30. Samuel Johnson - Dictionary of the English Language , 1755

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. Issued by W. Straham. England (London)

Box 1
31. Virgil - Bucolica, Georgica, and the Aenid , 1757

Language: Latin .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf. Baskerville's first issued book. England (Birmingham)

Box 1
32. Michel Montaigne - Essays , 1902-1904

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf designed by Bruce Rogers including 9-line initial "M." One of the editions Bruce Rogers planned for the Riverside Press and for which he designed a large font of type, the "Montaigne." United States (Cambridge)

Box 1
33. John Milton - Paradise Regained, Samson Agonistes, and other Poems , 1905

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaf printed in red and black. Roman types, based on those of Jenson and designed by Cobden-Sanderson with the assistance of Sir Emery Walker. Printed by Doves Press. England (London)

Box 1
34. Giovanni Boccaccio - The Decameron , 1920

Language: English .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves printed in red, blue, and black, including fine initial "P." Printed by Ashendene Press. The type, Subiaco, is based on the type face used by Sweyheym and Pannartz in 1465. England (Chelsea)

Box 1
35. Homer - Iliad and Odyssey , 1923

Language: Greek, Ancient (to 1453) .

Scope and Contents: Letterpress leaves. Printed by the Bremer Press. Willi Wiegend designed the Greek type used in this work. Germany (Munich)