Leaves with the usual traces of former archival and binding use, including staining, folds, corner loss, small holes, cuts, abrasions, fraying, and occasional text loss. For reused fragments, overall remarkably good condition, handsome and clear.

Klemming's collection contains a third of all known texts printed in or for Sweden before 1500, including six leaves on vellum, the first printed Swedish missal, and the first musical printing from Sweden. With no two leaf-books alike, this collection represents a unique treasury of folia from some of the rarest incunabula produced in northern Europe.

The pioneering Stockholm librarian G. E. Klemming (1823-93) was the first to recognise the value of the wrappers in the Royal Archives, many of which had been recycled from previously unknown Swedish incunabula. Having reconstructed as many complete or near-complete books as he could from them, in 1879 he divided the remaining examples into a leaf-books, each containing samples of the earliest volumes in Sweden's printing history. Only 50 such books were made, no two of them identical.

Klemming accompanied each set with a detailed description of Sweden's earliest printed liturgical works, "Sveriges äldre liturgiska literatur". The leaf-book contains all of the incunabula he listed in this from the Missale Upsalense of 1484 (the first) through the Breviarium Upsalense of 1496: the only work printed before 1500 missing is the 1498 Breviarium Scarense, which is however represented by a good-quality facsimile. In addition, there are two leaves from works of 1513, and facsimiles of all works listed through 1522, plus one of the Manuale Lincopense of 1525.

Following the onset of the Reformation in Sweden in 1527, the monasteries were dissolved and their collections dispersed. As Catholic liturgical books were no longer of use, they were dismantled and their leaves reused as wrappers. Ironically, this proved the key to their survival, as it allowed for their later rediscovery by Klemming and other scholars.

The collection contains samples from the following works: the Missale Upsalense, of c. 1484, the first printed Swedish missal. Our vellum leaf contains the beginning of the Mass for Avoiding Death and Plague, instituted by Pope Clement VI (r. 1342-52), with the instructions that "those hearing this mass should have a burning candle in their hands while the mass is celebrated; and they should continue this for five days immediately following. And sudden death will not strike those saying or hearing five masses said".

Two vellum leaves from the Missale Strengnense of 1487, of which no complete copy is known: one imperfect copy on paper is preserved in the Strängnäs Cathedral Library, and another imperfect copy on vellum is in the Royal Library in Stockholm. This work, produced by the pioneering printer Bartholomaeus Ghotan (active in Magdeburg, Lübeck and Stockholm), is essential for our knowledge of the unique liturgical culture of the Strägnäs diocese.

A vellum bifolium from the Manuale Upsalense of 1487: outside Sweden, only the British Library and the Lübeck Stadtbibliothek have a single leaf of this rare work, of which no complete copy is known to exist.

The Missale Aboense of 1488, like the previous two examples printed on vellum by Ghotan, but in this case in Lübeck rather than Stockholm.

The Graduale Arosiense of 1493, both the first Gradual of diocesan use to be printed as well as the first Swedish printing to contain musical notation. The leaves were of remarkable size: our vellum fragment, although large, makes up only part of a page. No complete copy is known: a vellum copy in Stockholm is lacking c. 40 leaves, while Västerås possesses a nearly complete copy, but on paper.

In addition to the vellum examples above, the collection includes samples of the following on paper: the Breviarium Lincopense of 1493 (of which no complete copies survive), the Breviarium Strengense of 1495, the Breviarium Upsalense of 1496 (of which no complete copy is known), the Breviarium Arosiense of 1513, and the Missale Upsalense of 1513.

The Breviarium Scarense of 1498, the Psalter of 1510, the Manuale Aboense of 1522 and the Manuale Lincopense of 1525 are represented in facsimile.

A unique example of a very rare work: only 50 copies of the leaf-book were produced, and no two examples are alike. Leaves of almost all of these works alone would be rarities, and together they make up a remarkable collection. A unique and pioneering collection of rare incunabula.

Provenance: from the library of Richard Bergström (1828-93), librarian at the Royal Library, Stockholm, with original envelope addressed to him in Klemming's hand included.

Contents:

Missale Upsalense. [Johann Snel?, Stockholm, about 1484]. Folio. Proctor assigned to Lübeck. Single leaves registered were issued with copies of G.E. Klemming, Sveriges äldre liturgiska literatur, Stockholm, 1879.

ISTC im00730000. Goff M730; C 4260; Weale-Boh 1609; CIBN M-483; SI 2693; Coll(S) 735; Coll(U) 1050; Madsen 2789; Günt(L) 1660; Walsh S1-4021.6; Oates 4217; Bod-inc M-281; Sheppard 7580; Pr 2647; BMC II 562; GW M24824.

Missale Strengnense (Strängnäs). [Bartholomaeus Ghotan, Stockholm, 1487]. Also recorded as [Lübeck]. Folio. 1 folio on vellum. Fol. XVII from AI-XXIIII. Text in red and black in two columns of 32 rows, initials in red and blue. Format 278 x 215 mm.

Recovered from a binding, cut at the corners, folds, small holes, single letter losses, stained.

No complete copy known. The final leaf of this missal is recorded, with a verse colophon giving Ghotan’s name, the date of 1487, and a statement that 170 copies were printed, at the commission of the Bishop of Strängnäs, Conrad Rogge. One imperfect copy printed on paper is preserved in the Strängnäs Domkyrkobibliotek, and one imperfect reconstructed copy on vellum in the Kungliga Biblioteket; otherwise the edition is only known from a few vellum fragments such as this one (British Library holds a 5-leaf fragment).

Bartholomaeus Ghotan was Sweden's second book printer after Snell. Ghotan visited Sweden between October 1486 and September 1487, during which time he completed this Missal for the Diocese of Strängnäs.

This Missal is of paramount importance for our knowledge of 15th century church rituals in the Strängnäs diocese, because these were not common to the whole country. The most significant celebrations in the diocese were for the Swedish Saint Eskil (October 6th), the Södermanland apostle and martyr.

Ghotan was originally from Magdeburg in Germany, and worked as a printer in Lubeck from 1484. After visiting Sweden in 1486-87, he returned to Lubeck, where, interalia, he printed Finland's first book, the Missale Aboense, and the Revelations of St. Bridget in Latin in 1492.

ISTC: im00722000; GW M24732; Goff M722; Copinger 4234; BMC II 553; Procter 2622.

Collijn I: 69-75. No complete copy known. Klemming: Sveriges äldre liturgiska literatur, Stockholm 1879, pp. 10-12.

Manuale Upsalense (Uppsala). [Bartholomaeus Ghotan, Stockholm, about 1487]. 4to, (208 x 155 mm). 1 bifolium on vellum. Folio XXXIV of XXXIX. Text in red and black on 21 lines, initials in red.

Most likely used as the title page of a book of accounts, a pale handwritten title with the year 1585 in the right margin. Slightly frayed at the margins, one leaf with corners damaged, partially darkened. No complete copy known. Outside Sweden, only the British Library and the Lübeck Stadtbibliothek have a single leaf each.

ISTC im00212800; GW M38290 ; SI 2544; Coll(SB) I p.82; Coll(S) 692; Sallander 1837.

Collijn I: 82-86.

Missale Aboense. Bartholomaeus Ghotan, Lübeck [after] 17 Aug. 1488. Folio.
The preface is dated 17 Aug. 1488. Ghotan's Missale Dominicanum (Weale-Boh 1820) issued at the same time largely shares the same typesetting (E. Häkli, in Librarium 31 (1988) pp. 156-68). Many of the single leaves recorded were issued with copies of G.E. Klemming, Sveriges äldre liturgiska literatur, Stockholm, 1879, and may in fact come from copies of the Missale Dominicanum.

ISTC im00644000; Goff M644; Schramm XII p.11; Schr 4661; GfT 396, 781, 784, 785; Weale-Boh 1; SI 2664; Coll(S) 718; Coll(U) 1044; Madsen 2762; Günt(L) 1658; Walsh S1- 946.7; Oates 1186; Bod-inc M-250; Sheppard 1902; Pr 2623; BMC II 553; GW M24188; HC 11253; Weale p. 17; Coll(SB) p.87; Meyer-Baer 32; Haebler(Klemperer) p.133 (& Abb. 23)

Graduale Arosiense. [Printer of the Graduale (Bartholomaeus Ghotan or Steffen Arndes?), Lubeck, ca. 1493?]. Folio, (400 x 290 mm). One leaf on vellum. 10 notes and 10 text lines (on each page), notes on 4 red lines, notes in black, text in black and red, initials in black or red. Stains, holes and abrasions after being used as a cover, text loss. Inscription in the lower margin "fr. Ramnäs kyrkoarki (v)". Mounted in a passepartout. On the lower edge of the passepartout a coat of arms (von Rosen) with handwritten text "Rockelstad". Types 1:132G (rubrics), 3:165G (text), 10 lines (for a full page) of text, below 4-line staves overprinted with music types (c- and f-clefs, ligatured Roman neums); red printing (staves and rubrics); rubricated (lombard initials alternately red and blue).

First edition, and the first Gradual of diocesan use to be printed. The first Swedish music printing. The edition survives only from archival wrappers and binder's waste. There was both a vellum and a paper issue. In the older literature, this was simply identified as a Swedish Gradual, Graduale Suecicum.

The Swedish liturgist Gustav Lindberg first determined (Die Schwedischen Missalten, 1923) that the Use was that of Vasteras. The dating to circa 1493 depends on an argument by Collijn. A tollbook for exports from Lubeck records, for this year, that one Kilianus shipped outward "one chest, 12 tuns, with books, belonging to the Bishop of Upsala." This quantity, Collijn believed, could only refer to a complete edition, and for such a complete edition, the Graduale is the only good candidate.

No complete copy known. A copy on vellum in the KB has about 40 leaves missing, a near complete copy on paper is at Västerås.

Goff G-333; Copinger 2765a; GW 10983; Meyer-Baer 19; Collijn Sver. bibl., 186-195; Klemming pl. 5. See facsimile: Toni Schmid, ed., Graduale Ariosiense impressum (Malmo, 1959-1965)

Breviarium Lincopense (Linköping, Sweden). Commissioned by Heinrich (Tidemann), bishop of Linköping. Georg Stuchs, Nuremberg, 16 Apr. 1493 . 8vo, (163 x 126 mm). 1 folio on paper (probably leaf 238). Text in red and black on 32 lines in two columns. Chancery 8vo, format 163 x 126 mm. Slightly stained.

There is a prefatory authorization by Henricus Tidemann, Bishop of Linköping, dated 10 September; inter alia, it grants to all those who say the hours "from this present printed book" (ex presentibus libris impressis et cartarizatis), forty days of indulgence. A few integral copies survive, but none of them complete.

ISTC ib01164000; GW 5373; Goff B-1164; Bod-inc B-540; Procter 2271; BMC II 467 (note); Hain-Copinger(+ Add) 3852; Klemming, pi. 6; Collijn 128 ff.

Single leaves were issued with copies of G.E. Klemming, Sveriges äldre liturgiska literatur, Stockholm, 1879.

Breviarium Strengnense. Commissioned by Konrad Rogge, bishop of Strängnäs.
Johannes Fabri (Smedh), Stockholm 18 July 1495. 4to. Format given as 8° by GW and Goff, but it is "clearly a quarto" (P. Needham in Schøyen 40 (6)). No printed number, D V written in later pencil, but rubric referring to the vigil of St Matthias the Apostle.

ISTC ib01183000; Goff B1183; C 1318; Boh(LB) 502; IGI 2144; SI 943; Coll(S) 275; Coll(U) 381; Walsh S1-4021.8; Oates 4218; Bod-inc B-549; Sheppard 7584; Pr 9829; GW 5467; Coll(SB) I p.138.

Breviarium Upsalense. Commissioned by Jakob Ulfsson, archbishop of Uppsala. Ed: Andreas Simonis. Stockholm: Johannes and Anna Fabri (Smedh), 30 Sept. 1496

4to, (120 x 172 mm). Text in red and black in two columns of 36 rows. 1 folio on paper.

The layout is identical to that of Fabri's Strängnäs Breviary of the preceding year. The prelims include an affecting plea from the corrector, Andreas Simonis, to be excused for any errors, because he has had minimal experience with the art of printing.

The colophon records the death of Johann Fabri after the printing had begun, and the completion of the book by other workers at the instance of his widow, Anna (presumed to be Bartholomaeus Ghotan's sister). No complete copy known.

ISTC ib01187000; GW 5499; Goff B1187; Hain-Copinger (+ Add) 3950; Bod-inc B-550; Sheppard 7585; Procter 9830; Klemming pi. 8.

Breviarium Arosiense. Jakob Wolff von Pforzheim, Basel, 1513. 8vo (125 x 174 mm). 1 f. on paper: fol. 25, De sancto heinrico.

Missale Upsalense 1513. (Jacobus de Pfortzheim, Basel, 1513): Folio (232 x 325 mm). 1 f. on paper: fol. 173, Cosme et Damiani, Michaelis archangeli.

Plus the following facsimiles:

Facsimile of the Breviarium Scarense (Georg Stuchs, Nürnberg, 1494): 8vo (unfolded bifolium, 260 x 186). 1 f. on paper.

Facsimile of the Psalter (1510): 8vo (unfolded bifolium, 310 x 194), 1 f. on paper.

Facsimile of the Manuale Aboense (n. p., 1522): 4to (163 x 215 mm). 1 f. on paper.

Facsimile of the Manuale Lincopense (Olaus Ulrici, Söderköping, 1525): 4to (unfolded bifolium, 275 x 183 mm), 1 f. on paper.