Incunabula (1454-1499)

Printing before 1500, or "out of the crib," exhibits so many of the best characteristics of book making, because the first book designers looked to the best manuscripts as models. Examples include the 42 line Gutenberg Bible, the 36 line Bamberg Bible, and the illustrated Cologne Bible. The printed text of the  Gutenberg Bible, pictured here, is based on the black letter Gothic script.

Gutenberg Bible, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., circa 1454