Incunabula

Incunabula (Latin, “cradle”, “origin”), in bibliography, collective term denoting books printed during the earliest period of typography before the year 1501. The study of incunabula is important as a source of information regarding the early development of the art of typography, and also because priceless items of incunabula include the first printed versions of many classical, medieval, and Renaissance works. Among the approximately 35,000 existing collections of incunabula are volumes published by the German printer Johann Gutenberg and the English printer William Caxton.