PBA Galleries

Latin, in 2 columns, printed in black & red, with hand-drawn initials in red & blue. Approx. 35x22.5 cm. (13¾x8¾").

Rare examples of two-color printing from the 15th century. These were from the collection of the late Tommy Tommasini, and were accompanied by a letter to Mr. Tommasini from Herb Mitchell, presenting the leaves: "...It's a pleasure to send you a quarter-hundred leaves from Missale Coloniensis, printed by Hermann Baumgart in Cologne, 1487. This is by no means the finest printing, the finest example of incubula [sic] - but it is two-color printing (with hand-initialing, of course) and all such material is becoming extremely scarce, and what becomes available often is in quite poor condition. Some of these specimen leaves have seen better days, too - but I can guarantee that the wormholes are genuine." We have not been able to verify the bibliographic information given by Mr. Mitchell. The original letter has been retained by the consignor because of the personal nature of much of the content.