The Books Above Were Published By One Of The Most Famous Printers Of The Italian Renaissance, Aldus Manutius.

The books above were published by one of the most famous printers of the Italian Renaissance, Aldus Manutius. These books were published in 1565 and 1575, and are bound in vellum (parchment from the skin of a calf or lamb). Aldus, his son, Paulus, and grandson, also named Aldus, all worked in the Aldine Press in Venice. The Aldine Press mark is shown in the top image. Unauthorized reproductions of Aldine Press publications had been popular, so finding authentic versions of these books is an exciting discovery.

Aldus Manitius is credited with producing the first italic type, introducing smaller pocket editions known as the octavo size, and introducing a standard system of punctuation.

For more information on Aldine Press books, see the online exhibit at Brigham Young University.