Latin Bible - Ottaviano Scotto

This extremely rare Latin Bible was printed in Venice by Ottaviano Scotto, who completed the work on May 31, 1480. It includes in its final 73 pages Interpretationes hebraicorum nominum secundum ordinem alphabeti (Interpretations of Hebrew names in alphabetical order), a list with identification information on the Hebrew names occurring in the Bible. The incunabulum is almost complete (it is missing the first, second, and last pages) and represents the only copy of this edition in Romanian collections. Its rarity is increased by the post-printer decorations made manually on the fourth surviving page, on which the frame and initials are illuminated in three colors and gold. The text is in black, with red and blue capitals at chapter openers, and there are black ink annotations. The print details are given on folio 422 verso at the end of the Bible, before the Hebrew names. Ottaviano Scotto, originally from Monza near Milan, was living in Venice by 1479. He printed books in Latin, including some for the Dominicans, but is best known for the important role he later played in the printing of sheet music. His nephews continued the business after his death in 1498. The Scotto firm became one of the most significant music printers and publishers in Venice. (World Digital Library)