farfel_n01_072_032

Feb. 11, 1494 editio princeps of Sebastian Brant, Das Narrenschiff
Basel: Johann Bergmann von Olpe. This work,
illustrated with 1142 [inserted] 6 repeated [end inserted] woodcuts gained instantaneous popularity
and imitations of the Basel edition were printed &
circulated all over Germany. In 1497 Bergmann published
a Latin edition by Jacob Locher, & 3 French & 2
English versions had appeared in 1509. The engravers of
the cuts are not known.

1497 - Grüninger reprinted von Olpe's 1497 Basel edition.

A scholar at the Univ. of Basel - took an uncommon interest in
illustrated books & had much to do [with] stimulating their production
in Bard & elsewhere. Sebastian Brant, one of the most
distinguished humanists of his day, wrote the Narrenschiff
& supervised its illustration & printing in 1494 at the press of
Johann Bergmann. The format & presswork of the book
are not fine, but the illustrations are Basel's best, thought
to have been made by the youthful A. Durer, who
spent some time there in his early travels. Before the end
of the year, pirated editions of the Narrenschiff appeared
at Nurenberg, Augsberg, Strassburg & elsewhere. Bergmann
printed a number of new editions in German & also in Latin,
& the book quickly became the best known in Europe.
Brant's influence on illustrated books extended to Strassburg
where he went about 1494. (see J. Gruninger's edition of the
Comedies of Terence - 1496)

Narenschiff [inserted] between 1494 + the end of the century there were at least 5 editions at Basel. [end inserted] -J. Bergmann -German editions 1494, 1495, 1496 7 + 1497 8
Latin editions 1497 (3), 1498.

Ref PR 2209 B82s. - The Ship of fools. London 1874 (facs.)
Gunst Case Z239.2 C36B7 The Ship of Fools - Alexander Barclay's
Translation from the Latin into English, published in London 1570.
See p. 182 - Of the clatering and babling of Priestes and
Clarkes in the gueere.
(See H.P. Kraus - (Cat. 91 #391)