Rare Leaf from Gutenberg Bible Found in Attic

A leaf from the Gutenberg Bible has been found in an attic in Bromsgrove, UK and is expected to sell for £20,000 - £30,000 later this month.

The manuscript dating back to circa 1455 will be sold at Chorley’s Auctioneers in the UK's Cotswolds on March 25. It was found by a resident of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire among his late grandfather’s possessions stored in his attic last year, in a box which hadn’t been opened for more than 50 years.

This particular page from the Gutenberg Bible known as the 42-line Bible, features part of the Book of Numbers, specifically verses 8:13 to 10:23. It highlights key biblical events such as the setting apart of the Levites, the Passover, and the Cloud above the Tabernacle. The text is presented in Gothic type, with intricate Lombard initials in red and blue.

“The Gutenberg Bible’s immense historical value stems from its pioneering role in the development of European typography and the spread of knowledge," said Chorley’s director Werner Freundel. "With only a handful of Gutenberg Bibles surviving in the world, we were amazed to discover a leaf from an original Bible in a Bromsgrove attic. This beautiful leaf represents an increasingly rare opportunity for collectors, historians and enthusiasts to own a tangible piece of history.”

Among other items in the sale is a cutting featuring an illustration of Christ from a Neapolitan choir book, apparently produced by French artists in the Kingdom of Naples during the Angevin rule in the 12th and 13th centuries (estimate £2,000 - £3,000).