Interesting news from the Netherlands
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:50 pm
From the website of Radio Netherlands Worldwide:
"Royal Library buys unique 15th-century book
Published: Tuesday 17 March 2009 13:02 UTC
Last updated: Tuesday 17 March 2009 14:08 UTC
The Royal Library in The Hague has purchased a unique copy of a non-religious 15th-century book in Dutch. The book was bought at auction. Printed in 1491, it is an incunabulum called The history of the great king Alexander (Die hystorie vanden grooten coninck Alexander).
The book, which is about Alexander the Great, is on record as the first non-religious printed work in the Netherlands. It is exceptional that it was published in the Dutch language; most books at the time were in Latin.
The library says that no other copy of this edition is known anywhere in the world. Three other editions of the book were printed in the 15th century. Just one copy of each survives, in Berlin, Washington and San Marino respectively.
The whereabouts of the single remaining copy of the fourth edition were unknown until 1976, when the volume was bought by a Belgian at an auction. On Saturday, it was again put up for sale. Its purchase cost the Royal Library 100,000 euros.
From next week, the entire contents of the book will be on display on the Royal Library website."
"Royal Library buys unique 15th-century book
Published: Tuesday 17 March 2009 13:02 UTC
Last updated: Tuesday 17 March 2009 14:08 UTC
The Royal Library in The Hague has purchased a unique copy of a non-religious 15th-century book in Dutch. The book was bought at auction. Printed in 1491, it is an incunabulum called The history of the great king Alexander (Die hystorie vanden grooten coninck Alexander).
The book, which is about Alexander the Great, is on record as the first non-religious printed work in the Netherlands. It is exceptional that it was published in the Dutch language; most books at the time were in Latin.
The library says that no other copy of this edition is known anywhere in the world. Three other editions of the book were printed in the 15th century. Just one copy of each survives, in Berlin, Washington and San Marino respectively.
The whereabouts of the single remaining copy of the fourth edition were unknown until 1976, when the volume was bought by a Belgian at an auction. On Saturday, it was again put up for sale. Its purchase cost the Royal Library 100,000 euros.
From next week, the entire contents of the book will be on display on the Royal Library website."