BIBLIA, DAS IST: DIE GANZE HEILIGE SCHRIFT DES ALTEN UND NEUEN TESTAMENTS. WIE SOLCHE VON HERRN DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER IN JAHR CHRISTI 1522. IN UNSERE TEUTSCHE MUTTERSPRACHE ZU UBERSETZEN ANGEFANGEN, 1543...

Nurnberg: In Verlegung Der Johann Andrea Endterischen Bandlung, 1788. Blind-stamped covers over wooden boards. Panelled spine. Three of the metal clasps remain, but without the catches. Title-page in red and black with engraved vignette. Full-page engraving of Martin Luther seated at his desk. Eleven full-page engravings of the Dukes of Saxony, each with a facing page of biography. Six full-page engravings of biblical persons and events. Numerous text illustrations throughout. Pages show some browning at periphery with light to moderate foxing. Four of these Bibles have sold at auction in the past 25 years. Worldcat shows twelve libraries worldwide with a listing. A well-preserved reprint edition of the Martin Luther Bible printed in 1534. Martin Luther (1483-1546) began translating the Bible into German in 1521. His reasoning was to make the Bible more accessible to all the Germanic people. He used Erasmus' second edition (1519) of the Greek New Testament rather than the Vulgate which was the official Latin translation used by the Catholic Church. This task required a collaborative effort by Luther, Johannes Bugenhagen, Philipp Melanchthon, Georg Rorer, Caspar Creutziger, Justus Jonas. The Luther Bible by reason of its widespread circulation was largely responsible for the formation the modern German language by standardizing its usage rather than using the many disparate dialects. 1034pp. Text in German. Postage will be extra due to the size of this tome.. Full Pigskin. Moderate General Wear.. Folio.