The opportunity to own a complete Gutenberg Bible is beyond legendary—no full copies have surfaced since 1987, and all known examples reside in institutions. For collectors, these individual leaves (termed Noble Fragments by the rare book dealer Gabriel Wells in the 1920s) are the closest one can come to owning the first printed Western book. This is, without question, one of the rarest items I have ever handled—a cornerstone for any truly serious collection.

Printed between 1450 and 1455, the Gutenberg Bible marked the dawn of the printed book and the early modern era, with an impact comparable to the invention of the internet or the moon landing. Within decades of its printing, millions of books were circulating—a revolution sparked by this very work. Only 49 complete copies are known to exist, all held by institutions.

In the 1920s, Gabriel Wells acquired an incomplete copy and made the controversial decision to separate its leaves, selling them individually with a bibliographical essay by A. Edward Newton under the title A Noble Fragment. Of the 568 leaves originally dispersed, only 466 have been located. This is one of them—and the finest example to appear on the market.

Learn more at www.baylissbooks.co.uk