Beschreibung:

NIXSTEIN, Johannes (commissary). Indulgentia, 1482 . For promoting the war against the Turks. [Northern Germany: Printer of Nixstein, before 18 March 1482]. A rare survival and one of two copies printed on vellum . The present indulgence was issued on 9 August 1480 by Pope Sixtus IV to raise money to resist the threat of the Turks. In Germany, the Franciscans, under general-commissary Emerich of Kemel, were fundamental to the distribution of this indulgence letter. The Franciscan monk Johannes Nixstein was preacher at Leipzig. He is cited in the letter as sub-commissary, and was responsible for the sale of this indulgence in Mitteldeutschland (Central Germany, i.e. a cultural area within Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt). Four editions bearing his name are known. Two were printed in Magdeburg by Bartholomaeus Ghotan c.1480, and two in 1482 by the printer of the present lot, one on vellum and the other, with slight variants in typesetting, on paper. Additionally, there is a version leaving a blank space instead of the printer's name, perhaps indicating that Nixstein had died or other Franciscans were to be entrusted with further sales (Nickel, p. 472). One of the paper copies is dated 15 January, so the edition must have been printed very early that year. The two known vellum copies (University Library Halle and the present sheet) were given on 18 and 19 March, respectively. GW M2716410; ISTC in00260330. Broadside (approx. 220 x 270mm). Single sheet printed on vellum on one side only, 21 lines, with some manuscript additions filling in the form including the name of the contributor, all female singular, and the date of contribution: 19 March 1482 (central and marginal folds showing that this leaf was once used as a book cover or wrapper). Provenance: Leipzig, Katherine, daughter of Hans Bantzschmann (she is the recipient of this indulgence ‘ katherina filia hannß panthschman’ ; her father was recorded in Leipzig council books between 1466 and 1491 as master builder and councilman) – traces of a now removed red wax seal.