This list includes, in chronological order, all the books in Special Collections printed before 1601.

“Incunabula” are books printed before 1501. The word derives from the Latin word for “cradle,” because these books were printed in the early years – the “cradle” – of printing history.

For more information on each book, see its record in the library’s online catalog.

1481 Themistius. Paraphrasis in Aristotelem. [Treviso, Italy]: Bartholomaeus Confalonerius and Morellus Gerardinus, 1481.
Rare Books Oversize PQ4204.A3 I7 1481, acquired 2015 (purchase)

1484 Jacobus de Voragine, ca. 1229-1298. Opus sermonum de sanctis per anni circulum. Augsburg: Hermann Kastlin, 1484.
Rare Books Oversize BX4654 .J6 1484, probably acquired ca. 1959 (purchase?)

1487 Alphonso, de Espina, 15th century. Fortalitium fidei. Lyon: Guillaume Balsarin, 1487.
Rare Books Oversize BF1520 .S65 1487, acquired 2013 (purchase)

1489 Jacobus, de Voragine, ca. 1229-1298. Incipit legenda s[an]cto[rum] que Lombardica no[m]i[n]at[ur] hystoria [The Golden Legend]. [Strasbourg: Georg Husner, 1489.]
Rare Books Oversize BX4654 .J33 1489, acquired 2012 (purchase)

1491 Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321. La commedia.Vinegia: Petrus de Plasiia. Cremonenisis, dictus Veronensis, 18 Nov. 1491.
Rare Books Oversize PQ4302 .A91 1491 (Gift of Jane Carruthers Hale in memory of her father, John A. Carruthers)

1492 Thomas à Kempis, ca. 1380-1471. Tractat[us] de ymitat[i]o[n]e [Christ]i [The Imitation of Christ]. With Gerson, Jean, 1363-1429. Tractatus de meditat[i]o[n]e cordis. [Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 1492.]
Rare Books BV4821. A1 1492, acquired 2012 (purchase)

1494 Ovid, 43 B.C.-17 A.D. or 18 A.D. Ovidius de arte amandi et de remedio amoris cum comento [Ars Amatoria]. Venice : Johannes Tacuinus, de Tridino, 1494.
Rare Books Oversize PA6519.A8 1494, acquired 2016 (purchase)

1500 Catherine, of Siena, Saint, 1347-1380. Epistole devotissime de Sancta Catharina da Siena. [Veneia: Aldo Manutio, 1500]
Rare Books Oversize BX4700 .C4 A28 1500 (Gift of Jane Carruthers Hale in memory of her father, John A. Carruthers)

1507 [Bambergische halsgerichtsordnung / Johann von Schwarzenberg] Bamberg: Hannsen Pfeyell [Johan Pfel], 1507.
Rare Books Oversize KK747.2 1507

1515 Durantis, Gulielmus, Bp. of Mende, 1237(ca.)-1296. Rationale divinorum officiorum. Lugduni: Jacobum, 26 Apr. 1515.
Rare Books BX1970 .B42 1515

1521 Sallust, 86-34 B.C. C. Crispi Sallvstii De conivratione Catilinae. Venetiis: In aedibus Aldi, et Andreae soceri,, mense Ianvario. 1521.
Rare Books PA6653 .A2 1521

1533 Livy. T. Livii Patavini Historici clarissimi. [Paris, Ascensio & I. Roigny, 1533]
Rare Books Oversize PA6452 .A2 1533

1534 Aesop. Aesopi Phrygis vita et fabulae a uiris doctiss. Parisiis: ex officina R. Stephani, 1534.
Rare Books PA3851 .A2 1534

1536 Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321. La commedia. In Vinegia ad instantia di M. Gioanni Giolitto da Trino, [1536].
Rare Books PQ4315 .L36 1536, acquired 2011 (purchase)

1539 Preudhomme, Christophorus Barroducanus. Trium poetarum elegantissimorum, Porcelij, Basinij, & Trebani opuscula, nunc primum diligentia eruditissimi viri Christophoro Preudhomme Barroducani in lucem aedita. Parisiis: Apud Simonem colinaeum, 1539.
Rare Books PA8118 .I7 P74 1539

1539 Martial. Epigrammaton libri XIIII. Summa diligentia castigati. Parisiis, apud Simonem Colinaeum, 1539.
Rare Books Small PA6501 .A2 1539
 
1542 Pontificale secundum ritum sacrosancte Romane ecclesie. [Lugduni: Hector Penet], 1542. Rare Books Oversize  BX2030.A2 1542 

1545 Ariosto, Lodovico, 1474-1533. Orlando furioso. Vinegia: [in casa de' figlivoli di Aldo], 1545.
Rare Books PQ4567 .A2 1545

1546 Schradin, Johann, d. 1560 or 61. Expostulation, das ist Klag und Verweisz Germanie, des teütschen Lands, gegen Carolo Quinto dem Kaiser, des Unbillichen bekriegens, darinn angezeigt, wie sollichs wider alle Billichheit und Recht geschehe. [Augsburg : s.n., 1546].
Rare Books DD184 . S37 1546 

1550 Hofmeister, John. Homiliae in evangelia que in Dominicis, et aliis festis, diebus legunter per totum annum. Antverpiae: In aedibus Joannis Steelsii, 1550.
Rare Books BV4240 .H64 1550

1550s? Le premier volume de la mer des histoires: auquel' le second insuyuat est contenu tant de vieil testament que de nouuean[!] toutes les Hystoires, Actes' Faictz dignes de memoire puis la creation du mode iusques en lan Mil cinq dencs l. selo la cotte & datte des ans. Paris: guillaume le bret, [155?].
Rare Books Oversize D17 .M4 v. 1-2

1557 Demosthenes. Cinqve orationi di Demosthene,: et vna di Eschine. In Venetia,: [Paolo Manuzio], M.D.LVII. [1557]
Rare Books PA3951 .I8 1557

1558 Archimedes. Archimedis opera non nvlla. Venetiis: apud Paulum Manutium, Aldi f., 1558.
Rare Books Oversize QA31 .A68 1558

1561 Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. The workes of Geffrey Chaucer, newlie printed with diuers addicions, whiche were neuer in print before: with the siege and destruccion of the worthy citee of Thebes, compiled by Jhon Lidgate, monke of Berie. [London], 1561
Rare Oversize PR1850 1561
 
1568 1545 Ariosto, Lodovico, 1474-1533. Orlando furioso. In Venetia: Appresso Domenico, & G.io. Battista Guerra, fratelli, 1568.
Rare Books PQ4567 .A2 1568 volumes 1 and 2 

1569 Otto, bp. of Freising, d. 1158. Ottonis episcopi frisingensis Leopoldi Pii...chronicon: sive rervm ab orbe condito ad sva vsque tempora gestarum, libri octo. Basileae: Petrum Pernam, 1569.
Rare Books Oversize DD149 .A3 O9

1570 Piccolomini, Alessandro, 1508-1578. De le stelle fisse, libro vno: dove di tutte le XLVIII immagin celesti minutissimamente si tratta... In Venetia: Per Giovanni Varisco & Compagni 1570.
Rare Books QB41 .P5 1570

1572 Barozzi, Francesco, 1538?-1587? Il nobilissimo et antiqvissimo givoco Pythagoreo nominato rythmomachia cioe battablia de consonantie de nvmeri, ritrouato per vtilita & solazzo delli stidiosi, et al presente in lingua volgare in modo di paraphrasi composto. Venetia, G. Perchacino, 1572.
Rare Books GV1442 .B37 1572

1576 Chytraeus, David, 1531-1600. Historia der Augspurgischen Confession. Rostock: zum andern mal gedruckt durch Jacobum Lucium, 1576.
Rare Books BX8069 .C56 1576

1579 Horace. Q. Horatius Flaccus, ex antiquissimis undecim lib. M.S. et Schedis. Antverpiae: ex officina Christophori Plantini, architypographia regij, 1579.
Rare Books PA6393 .A2 1579

Albertus, Magnus, Saint, 1193?-1280 (attrib.). De secretis mulierum libellus… [The Secrets of Women]. Lugduni [Lyon, France]: Ioannes Quadratus, 1580.
Rare Books RA778 .A43 1580, acquired 2015 (purchased with gift funds from the Woman's Educational Society)

1581 Caro, Annibal, 1507-1566. De le lettere amiliari del commandatore Annibal Caro. In Venetia: Appresso Bernardo Giunti, e fratelli., 1581.
Rare Books PQ4617 .C4 A7 1581

1581 Damhouder, Joost, 1507-1581. Practica gerichtliche Handlunge in burgerliche Sachen auss den gemeinen beschriebenen Rechten und deren Furnehmen geubten und erfarnen Lehrern mit sonderm Fleiss Zusamen getragen... Franckfurt am Mayn, durch Nicolaum Basseum, 1581.
Rare Books Oversize K5015 .A5 D27 1581

1583 Actius, Thomas. Thomas Actii Forosemproniensis De ludo scacchorum in legali methodo tractatus... Pisauri, Concordiam, 1583.
Rare Books GV1442 .A38 1583

1583 Scaliger, Joseph Juste, 1540-1609. Josephi Scaligeri Iul. Caesaris F. opus nuvum de emendatione temporum in octo libros tributum. Lutetiae: Apud mamertum patissonium typographum regium. In officium Robert Stephani, 1583.
Rare Books Oversize PA 86 .S3 Z6 1583

1584 Lopez [de Sigura], Ruy, 16th cent. Il givoco de gli scacchi di Rui Lopez, Spagnuolo; nuouamente tradotto in lingua italiana. Venetia, Presso C. Arriuabene, 1584.
Rare Books GV1442 .L86 volumes 1-3

1584 Ronsard, Pierre de, 1524-1585. Les oeuvres de P. de Ronsard, gentil-homme vandomois. A Paris: Chez Gabriel Buon, au clos Bruneau a l'enseigne S. Claude, 1584.
Rare Books Oversize PQ1674 .A2 1584

1589 Hakluyt, Richard, 1552?-1616. The principall navigations, voiages and discoveries of the English nation, made by sea or ouer land, to the most remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth at any time ithin the compasse of these 1500. Imprinted at London by George Bishop and Ralph Newberie, deputies to Christopher Barker, printer to the Queenes most excellent maiestie. 1589.
Rare Books Oversize G240 .H2 1589

1594 Lombardi, Giovanni Francesco, 16th cent. Ioan. Francisci Lombardi Neapolitani theologi ad Neapolim tetrastichon Græcum : eiusdem ad lectorem de Fabiorum familia Hexastichon Latinum. Venice, Apud Heredes Melchioris Sessae, 1594.
Rare Books BX890 .L65 1594 

1597 Gianutio, Orazio, 16th cent. Libro nel qvale sitratta della maniera di giuocar'a scacchi, con alcuni sottilissimi partiti, nouamente composto... Tvrino, A. de' Bianchi, 1597.
Rare Books GV1442 .G52 1597

1597 Ludus scacchiae: chesse-play. A game, both pleasant, wittie, and politicke: with certain briefe instructions therevnto belonging. Printed at London by H. Iackson, dwelling beneath the conduite in Fleetstreet, 1597.
Rare Books GV1442 .L83 1597

1598 Aristotle. Aristotles politiques, or Discourses of gouernment. At London : Printed by Adam Islip, anno Dom. 1598.
Rare Oversize JC71.A41 D2 1598, acquired sometime prior to 2001, cataloged 2014

1599 Guicciardini, Francesco, 1483-1540. The historie of Guicciardin. London, Imprinted by R. Field, 1599.
Rare Books DG539 .G928 1599

1600 Sappho, et. al. Carminvm Poetarum nouem, lyricae poese¯os principum fragmenta : [Sp.1:] Alcaei, Sapphvs, Stesichori, Ibyci, [Sp.2:] Anacreontis, Bacchylidis, Simonidis, Alcmanis, Pindari; Nonnulla etiam aliorum ; Cum Latina interpretatione, partim soluta oratione, partim carmine / [foreword by Henricus Stephanus]. [Germany?]: Paulus Stephanus, 1600.
Special Editions Small PA3443.A2 C37 1600