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A: Altstadt, Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Manuscript Title page of Bulla Cruciata Contra Turcos "Ezechielis prophetae" printed by Johann Fust and Peter Schoeffer in 1463 (Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel, Germany). Click on the image to see the entire image.
With his edition of Pope Pius II's Bulla Cruciata contra Turcos in 1463 printer Peter Schöffer of Mainz issued the first publication with a separate printed title page. It is thought that this title page was an experiment, as "the Aschaffenburg copy has a title-page in Psalter type; the Paris copy has a woodcut title; the Musée Condé copy has a title in MS" (ISTC no. ip00655750 citing two copies in France, three in Germany and one in Holland).
• The separate title page did not begin to come into widespread use in printed books until the end of the 15th century.
In November 2013 a digital facsimile was available from HAB Wolfenbüttel at this link.
Smith, The Title-Page, its Early Development 1460-1510 (2000) 38-40.
