Jacobus de Voragine

Hamburg, 20. October 2011 (kk) – In medieval times it was wider spread than the bible. Now the only known copy of an early German edition of the ”Legenda aurea“ will be auctioned at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg on 21/22 November, 2011. A copy in this completeness of the richly illustrated edition of the two volume work can neither be found in commerce nor in the relevant bibliographies.

The then extremely popular book by Jacobus de Voragine provides information mainly on the lives of saints. The Dominican monk and later archbishop of Genoa originally wrote the work in 182 tractates, which he organized according to the church year. The purpose of the book was to provide reflection on occasion of important church holidays as well as uplifting reading matter. With an estimate of € 25.000, the unique book heads the incunabula section.

Estimated at € 24.000, the Biblia germanica inferior is just slightly below this top mark. The famous Lubeck bible by Steffen Arndes counts among the most renowned German 15th century woodcut works.

Besides Maria Sibylla Merian's magnificently illustrated book about "Surinamsche Insekten" (Surinamese Insects) from 1730 (estimate: € 40.000), another top lot in the auction is George Catlin's "North American Indian Portfolio". The rare first issue of the first edition is considered to be the one in finest coloring, as it was executed under Catlin's supervision. The description of original Indian life, which will be called up with an estimate of € 50.000, is a unique contemporary document of highest rarity.

Other lots that will make for great excitement in the auction room will be the famous gallery work by Giovanni Volpato with illustrations of Raphael's wall decorations in the loggias of the Vatican, as well as a richly illuminated and complete Book of Hours made in Paris around 1460. Both books will be offered with estimates of € 20.000 each.

Whereas the section of old prints holds an early and extremely rare illustrated edition of Martin Luther's "Deudsch Catechismus" (estimate: € 12.000) in store, the section of natural science is led by an increased Latin edition of the "Cosmographia" by Philipp Apian. This edition of his main work contains the text "De astrolabo catholico liber" by Gemma Frisius which had not been published before. It will also enter the race with an estimate of € 12.000.

In context of the first auction in the new facility of Ketterer Kunst on Holstenwall 5, two large collections of around 1000 children books will be called up in 400 lots (see separate press release) as well as a small collection of around 25 expressionist magazines (among them: "Aktion", "Kräfte", "Rote Erde", "Der Sturm") which were published between 1910 and 1930.

Definitely worthwhile mentioning is a collection of more than 100 books by Prague authors. Among them is the work "Ein Hungerkünstler" (A Hunger Artist) by Franz Kafka from 1924. It will be called up with an estimate of € 1.800.