INCIINAVULA, a Latin word signifyThg cradle, is employed by bibliographers to designate the first fruits of the art of printing; the books which, as Peignot has it, touchent au berceau de l'imprimerie. The term is usually restricted to those which appeared before the year 1500, by which time the art was completely formed in all its principal departments. The number of these works is probably not far short of 20,000. Hain, it is true, in his Ikpertorium Bibliographicum, enumerates only 16,22.9; but as he unfortunately died before his work was completed, it is confessedly imperfect, especially in the last volume.
Incunabula, with hardly any exceptions, belong. to the category of raTre books, and are therefore much sought for by collectors; bUt besides the interest attaching to them as lit erary curiosities, many of them, such as the first editions (editions prineipes) of the Greek and Roman classics, are intrinsically valuable in a critical point of view; whilst others are important, as marking the successive steps by which the art of printing advanced towards perfection. Information as to these particulars will be found in the article PRINTING.
The principal works treating specially of incunabula are—Panzer, Annales Typo graphiei, ab Artis Ineentce Origine ad Annum. M.D.. (continued, however, to 1536), 11 vols. 4to, Norirnbergte, Maittaire, Annales Typographiei, ab Artis lime/ace Origine ad Annum 1537 (cum Appendice ad Ann. 1664), 3 tom. in 5 vols. 4to, Serna Santander, Dietiontutire Bibliographique C1iotsi da XVe Sieele, 3 tout. 8vo, Brux elles, and Hain, Repe.rtorium Dibliographicam, quo Libri omn,es ab Arte Arenta usque ad M.D Typis Exp•essi reeensentur, 4 tom. 8vo, Stutgarthe, 1828-38. With all its imperfections the last is the best work we have on the subject. Much valuable informa tion will also be found in Bernard, De l'Origine et des Debuts de l'Imprimerie en Europe (1853); and, on French incunabula, in Brunet's La France Littiraire an X Ve Siècle (1865).