Collecting Counterfeits
Provenance Marks
While counterfeits of Luther’s works fooled readers in the 1500s, they continued fooling readers and collectors for centuries. By examining the many lives of these books—how they passed from one collection to another over the centuries—you can see whether former owners knew they owned a counterfeit book or if they thought they held an original edition from the home of the Protestant Reformation.
One way of studying this is by examining provenance marks: the parts of a book that are evidence of previous ownership, such as manuscript notes, book plates, or custom bindings. The Kessler Collection owns a copy of Sendtbrieff an ein Kartheüser, von den dreyen Clostergelübten, a Reformation work by Luther’s colleague Philipp Melanchthon. The book has a false Wittenberg imprint on the title page, but was actually printed in Nuremberg by Jobst Gutknecht. The book is bound in a blue paper wrapper. On the front cover, someone has written the title of the book beneath which they have written “Wittenberg. 1524.” It is clear that this owner thought the book was an original from Wittenberg. Later, a cataloguer recognized this was a counterfeit and wrote the truthful publication information in pencil on the title page.
Von Menschen leeren zy meyden
One of Luther’s most widely printed works was his Von Menschen leeren zy meyden, which argued that church doctrine that had no basis in scripture should be avoided. The Kessler Collection has a copy with an ornate architectural title page border and a Wittenberg imprint. The gold lettering on the book’s front cover identifies it as an original edition from Wittenberg. By the time it entered the Kessler Collection in 2013, it had been identified as a counterfeit printed in Augsburg.
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Uon Menschen leeren zu meyden
Summary: First published earlier the same year, Luther's pamphlet Defense of the doctrines of men was one of Luther's most widely read writings with approximately twenty editions appearing in the years 1522 and 1523. Written in honor of Hans von Belepsch who had hosted Luther at the Wartburg as the reformer translated the New Testament. Luther argues that church teachings that have no basis in the Bible, in particular fasting and celibacy, are illegitimate and are to be avoided.Signatures: A-B⁴.Illustrative and Decorative Content: Architectural woodcut t.p. border.Imprint: Printed in Augsburg. Fictitious imprint, correct place of production from VD 16. Production was initially attributed to Philip Ulhart the Elder, but was more recently reattributed to the heirs of Erhard Oeglin, whose type stock was first taken over by Ulhart in 1523 (see H. Gier & J. Janota, Augsburger Buchdruck und Verlagswesen, 1216).Additional Details: Pitts copy is a gift from Bishop Julian Gordy and the ELCA Southeastern Synod Staff in honor of Pastor Darrel Peterson on the occasion of his retirement, 2013.
Ad Serenissimu[m] Principem [et] D[omi]n[u]m Do. Carolum V
Another rich resource for examining ownership history is by combining manuscript notes in the book with old library and auction catalogues. The library has a counterfeit copy of Luther’s Ad Serenissimu[m] Principem [et] D[omi]n[u]m Do. Carolum V. This book, printed in Augsburg, was Luther’s attempt to express his loyalty to Emperor Charles V after writing his famous Open Letter to the Christian Nobility. Although we now know it was printed in Augsburg, the title page clearly lists it as a “Wittenberg” book.
On the inside of the front cover a handwritten note in German states that this book was purchased in May 1930 from the library of Eduard Griesebach (1845-1906), a German diplomat and book collector.
Griesebach’s library catalogue, published in 1894, lists this book as a Wittenberg edition from 1524. Clearly, he thought his copy was an original edition. After his death when his library was auctioned in May 1930, the auction catalogue also lists the book as an original edition from Wittenberg. By the time it reached the Kessler Collection in the 1980s, it had been identified as a counterfeit.
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Ad Serenissimu[m] Principem [et] D[omi]n[u]m Do. Carolum V. : Rho. Caes. Impe. Aug. Hispaniarum rc̄. Rege[m]. Archiducem Austrie rc̄
Summary: Fredrick the Wise asked Luther to write to Emperor Charles V after the publication of his Open letter to the Christian Nobility in order to express his loyalty. Spalatin convinced Luther to write this letter of submission and edited it for publication.Signatures: A4; [A] unsigned, A4 blank.Benzing, Luther, lists printer as: "[Augsburg: Hans von Erfurt, 1520]"Binding: This volume was bound in vellum.Additional Details: There is a former ownership mark on upper pastedown reading "Erworben Mai 1930 aus der Biliotheck von Eduard Grisenbach," as well as a possible former owner's initials: "I. (J.) M." at the foot of the title page. There are also manuscript marginalia in the text.
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Ad Serenissimu[m] Principem [et] D[omi]n[u]m Do. Carolum V. : Rho. Caes. Impe. Aug. Hispaniarum rc̄. Rege[m]. Archiducem Austrie rc̄
Summary: Fredrick the Wise asked Luther to write to Emperor Charles V after the publication of his Open letter to the Christian Nobility in order to express his loyalty. Spalatin convinced Luther to write this letter of submission and edited it for publication.Signatures: A4; [A] unsigned, A4 blank.Benzing, Luther, lists printer as: "[Augsburg: Hans von Erfurt, 1520]"Binding: This volume was bound in vellum.Additional Details: There is a former ownership mark on upper pastedown reading "Erworben Mai 1930 aus der Biliotheck von Eduard Grisenbach," as well as a possible former owner's initials: "I. (J.) M." at the foot of the title page. There are also manuscript marginalia in the text.
Conclusion
Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation led to a flurry of printing activity across the Holy Roman Empire. Printers everywhere reprinted Luther’s works with many falsely listing their books were from Wittenberg. Printers produced these in various ways and scholars have various methodologies for uncovering their true origins. By studying collecting history, scholars can trace how these counterfeits continued to fool collectors long after they left the press. The Kessler Collection’s rich holdings of both original and counterfeit Wittenberg editions are a testament to the printing practices that underpinned the spread and success of Europe’s first mass media event.