1480 Latin Indulgence Printed in Mainz

Lucas de Tollentis, Bishop of Sebenico (1428–1491).
[Indulgence for the Jubilee Year 1480, in Latin].
Mainz: Peter Schöffer, before 22 March 1480.
Broadside, printed on vellum. (07015)

This rare indulgence, one of two known copies, was offered for the remission of sins in the Jubilee Year of 1480.  Bridwell Library’s copy was purchased and completed by hand at Kirn, Germany, on 17 April 1480; the name of the purchaser has been erased. The bottom edge was folded up and pierced with string in order to attach the issuer’s official seal, which has not been preserved.

This indulgence is also of historical typographic interest. The large initial L came from type used by Gutenberg’s immediate successors Johann Fust and Peter Schöffer in their Mainz 1462 Bible. The initial M is from the same firm’s 1457 Psalter font. The three headings in larger letters utilize type from Gutenberg’s 1454–1455 Latin Bible.