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Incunabula – the first European printed books

Ovid homepage
Learn about the remarkable Brotherton Collection copy of the works of Ovid, printed in Parma in 1477. Discover who owned the books, and who might have added the hundreds of marginal annotations and colourful illustrations.
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Shelf of Brotherton incunabula
Notes on incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds.
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The Brotherton Ovid
Notes on the unique aspects of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Condition and binding
Notes on the condition and binding of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Brotherton Ovid provenance
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. FInd out more about the provenance of the books.
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Dietrich von Plieningen
Dietrich von Plieningen was a former owner of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Chancellor Leonhard von Eck
Leonhard von Eck was a former owner of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Oswald von Eck
Oswald von Eck was a was a former owner of one of the items held at Special Collections at Leeds University, a three volume set of the works of Ovid printed in Parma in 1477. He added the numerous annotations and drawings that appear in the margins.
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Georg Kloss
Georg Franz Burkhard Kloss was a former owner of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Bookplate of William Horatio Crawford
William Horatio Crawford was a former owner of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Photograph of Lord Brotherton, 1926
Edward Allen Brotherton acquired one of the most remarkable items held at Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. This set of three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) contains the works of the Roman poet Ovid. The books were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Brotherton Ovid cutting with illustrations
People associated wtih the copy of the works of Ovid printed in Parma in 1477 and held at Special Collections at the University of Leeds.
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Sebastian Linck
Sebastian Linck is associated with three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon is associated with three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Samuel Leigh Sotheby funerary monument
Samuel Leigh Sotheby is associated with three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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J. Alexander Symington
J. Alexander Symington is associated with three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Ovid portrait from Nuremberg Chronicle
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. FInd out more about the Roman poet Ovid.
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Metamorphoses
Notes on the works of Ovid. Part of a digital resource on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477.
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Pyramus and Thisbe
Part of a digital resource on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Learn more about the reception of Ovid's works in the medieval and Renaissance periods.
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Brotherton Ovid annotations
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Discover more about the annotations that accompany the printed text.
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Brotherton Ovid Heroides
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Discover more about the annotations that accompany the Heroides
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Drawing from Amores
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Discover more about the annotations that accompany the Amores
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Brotherton Ovid - Silenus and a satyr
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Discover more about the annotations that accompany the Art of Love and Cures for Love
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Brotherton Ovid drawings
Notes on three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Discover more about the annotations that accompany the Fasti
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Brotherton Ovid drawings - Callisto and Arcas
Notes on the visual marginalia in three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. Discover more about the drawings that accompany the printed text.
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Brotherton Ovid man on horseback
Notes on the visual marginalia in three incunabula (books printed in Europe before 1501) kept in Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. The books contain the works of the Roman poet Ovid and were printed by Stephanus Coralllus in Parma in 1477. List of illustrations to the Fasti.
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Ovid Opera Volume 1. Detail from sixth front flyleaf verso
View a high-resolution digitised version of the first volume of Ovid's Opera, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Ovid Opera Volume 1. Detail from aa2r
View a high-resolution digitised version of the first volume of Ovid's Opera, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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Ovid Opera Volume 1. Detail from A2r
View a high-resolution digitised version of the first volume of Ovid's Opera, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.
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An incunabulum (plural incunabula) is the name given to a book printed in Europe before the year 1501.

Printing was introduced to Europe by Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz, a German blacksmith and goldsmith. His invention of mechanical moveable type started the printing revolution and is considered one of the most important events of the modern period.

Special Collections in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds looks after over 300 incunabula. The majority of these are in the Brotherton Collection.

Find out more on the incunabula in Special Collections.