Writer's Rare Book Chart

Title Page: Codex Leicester c1510

Dear Readers,

Thundering into first place, comes the mysterious and remarkable Leicester Codex. Written by legendary Da Vinci during his lifetime, this incredible notebook charts the thoughts and ideas of a renaissance genius.

Alas, the notebook has remained in private hands. Purchased by software magnet Bill Gates in 1994, he paid $30,800,000 to be its proud owner. (£18,940,438 at today's exchange rates).

There's a strong moral argument that a literary work as important as this belongs to us all, easily achieving the status of "International Treasure".

At least Mr Gates had the notebook digitally scanned and released as a "CDROM" title in 1996*. (The CD itself is now widely regarded as a rare treasure, including an innovation called the "Codescope", allowing us mere mortals to decipher Leonardo's mysterious mirror writing rendered in 16th century Italian, naturally.

One could spend a lifetime researching Leonardo and his fabulous work. In brief, the Codex Leicester reveals Leonardo's powerful ideas of harmony between ourselves and Nature. He discovers, he postulates and creates imaginary "adverseries" as a means to expose the weaknesses in his own theories. I wonder what the Great Man would have made of his notebooks becoming the most valuable documents in history?

*Leonardo Da Vinci CD ROM Corbis 1996, 1998 (Windows 95)

Illuminated Page: Gospels Of Henry The Lion c1188

Financially speaking, our second placed masterpiece enters with a price tag of only £8,140,000. However, the German Government got a bargain when obtaining the unique Gospels Of Henry The Lion.

Astonishingly, this fine example of 12th century illuminated text has survived undamaged for the best part of 900 years... A remarkable achievement in itself.

The manuscript amounts to the pinnacle of Romanesque Art containing 50 remarkable illustrations attributed to Benedictine Monk Herimann, no doubt assisted by many scribes and illuminators at Abbey Helmarshausen, Hesse, Germany.

To date, I've been unable to find high resolution images of all 50 illustrations, but rather like the Codex Leicester, this work could easily constitute a lifetime's study in the incredible visual language and preoccupations of the medieval mind.

Illuminated Page: Gutenberg Bible 1455

Obtaining a respectable third placing on our chart, I give you The Gutenberg Bible. Only 21 copies are thought to have survived intact, one of these being sold for the princely sum of $5,390,000* in 1987. (£3,291,222 at today's exchange rates). Ironically, most of the bibles printed by Johannes Gutenberg no longer reside in religious institutions.

Although some scholars disagree about when "movable type" was invented, Johannes is widely recognized as the man who invented a mechanical moving type system, therefore auguring in a revolution that led directly to higher literacy rates and books that could be easily distributed to readerships. This constitutes one of the most important moments in Human History, sparking both the wonderful Renaissance and much needed scientific progress.

Originally called "Biblia Sacra", the Gutenberg Bible can be accurately dated to 1455. Hand illustrated, comprising of 42 lines per page, it amounts to a beautifully executed example of the printer's art. Now, a book that would have taken over a year to copy by hand, could be reproduced at a fraction of the cost within a smaller time frame. Johannes called this magical process "kunst und aventur". (Art and enterprise).

* Figure varies between sources: $2.2 million - $5.3 million. Estimated value in 2011: $25 million