Der gantz Prophet Esaias

Außgelegt durch Vitum Dietrich. Zu disen schweren un[d] küm[m]erlichen zeyten allen Christen nütz unnd tröstlich zu lesen. Nürmberg [i.e. Nürnberg] : Johan vom Berg & Ulrich Newber [i.e. Neuber], M.D.VLXIII [in error: 1563?]. Small quarto (210 x 160 mm), contemporary panelled vellum over boards (scuffed and stained), spine with raised bands and early manuscript lettering ‘ESAIA’, two working metal and leather clasps; front pastedown with early ownership inscription of Sebastian Khirmer [i.e. Kirmer?] and later (eighteenth-century?) inscription of (Josef?) Müller; [1 blank], title leaf in red and black with vignette woodcut of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, [295], [2 blank] leaves; historiated initials, wide margins; text in German in blackletter; original owner’s occasional marginalia in ink; first couple of quires starting to loosen at gutter, otherwise the binding is firm; small pale water stain to top edges of leaves in the second half of the volume (not affecting any text), rear blank and rear pastedown with more pronounced water staining, otherwise the contents very clean throughout.

Rare exegetical work on the Book of Isaiah by German Lutheran theologian Veit Dietrich (aka Vitus Diterichus, 1506-1549), a younger associate of Martin Luther. It was printed in his hometown of Nürnberg by Johan vom Berg and Ulrich Neuber. The imprint appears contains a nonsensical roman numeral date which has resulted in different interpretations; if the V is simply ignored the date is unequivocally 1563.