"Incunabula" are books printed before 1500. The word derives from the Latin word for cradle, the idea being that these books were printed in the early years - the "cradle" - of printing history.

This list includes, in chronological order, all the books in Special Collections printed before 1600. For more information on each book, see its record in the Tutt Library Online Catalog (Tiger).

1484 Jacobus, de Voragine, ca. 1229-1298. Opus sermonum de sanctis per anni circulum. Augsburg: Hermann Kastlin, 1484.
Rare Books Oversize BX4654 .J6 1484

1491 Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321. La commedia. Vinegia: Petrus de Plasiia. Cremonenisis, dictus Veronensis, 18 Nov. 1491.
Rare Books Oversize PQ4302 .A91 1491

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

1507 [Johann von Schwarzenberg. Bambergische halsgerichtsordnung.] 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 PA8653 .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

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

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

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

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

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 v.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

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

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