Description
EXODUS 16:34-18:4. “Water From the Rock”. Biblia, 1541. German. Martin Luther, trans. Printed in Wittemberg by Hans Lufft. Woodcuts by Georg Lemberger, of the Cranach Workshop.
The first complete revision of Luther’s 1534 Bible (editio princeps), coming midway between the first and the last in Luther’s lifetime (d. 1546), the final such revision coming in 1545. Hence the term “Median Bible” for this edition, a mid-size folio. Standard Reference: VD16. Two (2) large Picture-WOODCUTS, each with LG monograms (Georg Lemberger, Cranach Workshop), 5.5″ x 4.5″. Two (2) woodcut initials, 7 lines high, one inhabited. Leaf-size: 12.2″ x 8.0″, w. professionally repaired margins. FINE- condition; light to moderate stains to outer margins (see pics). A nice example of a very early Luther Bible leaf, with a central leaf from Exodus. The facing woodcut, recto, depicts Moses striking the Rock (Ex 17:6), here depicted as Christ himself, following Paul in 1 Cor 10:4 where Christ is the “spiritual Rock” that the people drank in the wilderness. The reverse side woodcut, verso, depicts Moses standing on a hill with the help of Aaron and Hur, directing a battle against Amalek (Ex 17:10-12).
COA on premium “gold leaf” paper w. gold seal. Leaf and COA set in a large Bifold Portfolio.
