HAMBURG.- It is nothing less than one of the most important German early woodcut books. Now the printed German edition of the 'Neunte Deutsche Bibel', the only one by Anton Koberger, godfather of Albrecht Dürer, will be sold in the auction of Rare Books at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg on 17/18 November.

The remarkably well-preserved copy from 1483 was executed in a pleasing new type. With its 109 woodcuts in the text, of which 21 are kept in a lucent coloring, it has an extremely remarkable appearance and emanates a splendor that captivates readers today just as much as it did in the past. The Koberg bible counts among the most splendidly illustrated bibles of the 15th century and had substantial influence on all following editions. The estimate is at € 60,000.

Besides a copy of the colored and annotated edition of the Nuremberg Chronicle from the library of the contemporary scholar Cincinnius, which will enter the race with an estimate of € 100,000, it is Basilius Besler's “Hortus Eystettensis“ from 1712 (estimate: € 85,000) which is particularly fascinating, for it is a rare trial proof of the jubilee edition of the magnificent botanical work, which had been planned for the following year 1713 and was eventually realized in 1750.

Further highlights in the botanical section are a number of market-fresh herbal books with appealing estimates such as the third Latin edition of the “Hortus sanitatis“. While the presumably most important medieval work on natural history will be called up with an estimate of € 20,000, the book “De historia stirpium“ by Leonard Fuchs could perhaps be available for € 18,000. Images from the first edition of the famous Renaissance herbal with 512 hand-colored full-page woodcuts of plants are used even today for the illustration of scientific works. Also Johann Christian Volckamer's first edition of the famous monography on citrus fruits “Nürnbergische Hesperides“, estimated at € 10,000, is guaranteed to make for excitement in the auction room.

In the section of travel literature it is Francois Auguste Péron's “Voyage de découvertes aux Terres australes“ that is particularly worthwhile mentioning. The rare first edition of the travelog in three volumes by the natural scientist, who participated in the French South Sea expedition under Baudin as a zoologist, has been estimated at € 12,000.

The section of autographs offers a very rare writing from Che Guevara to his lieutenant Hugo del Rio Guerra (estimate: € 18.000) and a manuscript of a poem by Hermann Hesse adorned with a dozen ink brush with watercolor drawings (estimate: € 15.000). Additionally, the section offers Ludwig Wittgenstein's corrections of Ludwig Hänsel's “Wertgefühl und Wert“ (estimate: € 7,500), annotated with numerous critical notes, as well as a signed postcard by Franz Kafka from a vacation in Paris together with his later estate administrator Max Brod, in which Kafka sends “Kind regards“ to some mademoiselle Misek in Prague. The estimate is at € 8,000.

The range of offerings is completed by an exciting collection of roundabout 200 letters from the early 1910s with correspondence of art dealers and gallery owners such as Alfred Flechtheim. The lot, moderately estimated at € 3000, allows interesting insight into the business. The letters also mention the organization of exhibitions with works by famous artists such as Picasso, Braque, Jawlensky and Macke.

Raoul Hausmann's extremely rare print by the Club Dada from its founding year 1918 could perhaps change owners for € 6.000. This is one of just 23 copies, it carries a letter to Conrad Felixmüller on its front pastedown in which Hausmann asks his friend for his honest opinion about the publication.

Another extremely rare work is the first edition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's famous opera “Die Zauberflöte“ (The Magic Flute). A copy of the sought-after first edition in this completeness is almost impossible to find in commerce and in libraries, it will be called up with an estimate of € 15.000.

Next to rare books, manuscripts, autographs and decorative prints, the auction offers Maritime and Northern German Art . While the latter offers works by, among others, Emil Nolde (“Hamburg, Reiherstiegdock“, estmate: € 7.000), Emil Maetzel (“Zwei Kinder mit Früchten“, estimate: € 5.500) and Erich Kubierschky (“Rinkenis an der Flensburger Förde“, estimate: € 2.800), the section of Maritime Art comprises Michael Zeno Diemer's “Blick auf den Bosporus mit Rumeli Hisari“ (estimate: € 5.000), Claus Bergen's “Die Deutsche Hochseeflotte vor der Skagerrakschlacht“ (estimate: € 4.000) and the “Jacht Alexandrine auf tosender See“ (estimate: € 3.500) by an artist from Mecklenburg or Schwerin.