FBK-ISIG | Saskia Limbach | Too many books?
About this Event
Too many books? New evidence for print runs in the early modern book trade
The invention of printing is often praised as one of the greatest inventions of humankind. In the past it has attracted much attention from scholars across disciplines. Despite the abundance of studies, several aspects of print history remain rather poorly understood; this includes the volume of production, i.e. print runs. While it was technically possible to produce an ever-greater number of printed copies, the actual numbers could fluctuate significantly depending on a variety of different factors, such as formats, genres or the local book market. Research on print runs in the 15th century – the well-studied incunabula period – makes this abundantly clear. For the two following centuries, it has often been assumed that hardly any sources on print runs have survived. Yet, this is a common misconception – evidence is plentiful but often hidden from view. The ERC-project “WidowsPrint” will bring together this often-neglected information for the 16th and 17th century and compile a comprehensive survey of print runs for the Holy Roman Empire. Drawing on the data compiled so far, this paper will introduce the large variety of different sources, ranging from correspondence, account books and even imprint data, and present preliminary results on print runs for different genres and production places.
Saskia LIMBACH | Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Scientific coordination:
Anna Clara Basilicò (FBK-ISIG)
Irene Fattacciu (FBK-ISIG)
Alessandra Quaranta (FBK-ISIG)
Massimo Rospocher (FBK-ISIG)
Sandra Toffolo (FBK-ISIG)
Cycle of seminars: “Tavola ovale di storia moderna“
ISIG is an accredited or qualified entity to carry out training activities for the staff of Trentino schools.
The talk will be held in English.
The presentation will be in-person in the FBK Aula Piccola while seats last and online.
Registration by September 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. is required in order to arrange the connection.
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Immage: Biblioteca FBK, credits Andrea Franceschini
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