Nider, Manuale confessorum, 1474 ([3]3r)

Although this book has clearly been read and annotated by a reader, its owner never had the initial letters or rubrication added. You can see on the left an empty square that would hold a hand-drawn initial letter as well as a smaller space further down on the right that would have been rubricated with a capitulum to indicate the start of a new chapter or section.

Nostradamus, An almanach, 1562 (fol. 1v)

Although this almanac is for the year 1562, a user has added notes for a number of later years, including 1581 and 1589, as see here on the blank verso of the title page.

Sacrobosco, Noviciis adolescentibus, 1485 ([1]1r)

As title pages developed in form sometimes blank leaves or pages preceded them. In this case, as you can see from the bleed-through, a woodcut on the verso of the first leaf faces the inicipt and text on the second leaf.

Santo Officio da Inquisição de Coimbra, Relacion del auto de fee, 1723 (A4v)

This 8-page octavo pamphlet ends with the colophon for the printer working for the Office of the Inquisition.

Shakespeare, First Folio, 1623 (nn4v)

The opening of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s First Folio; like the rest of the plays in this book, the start of the play is marked off with a headpiece and an initial letter.

The Moderate, 1648 (recto)

This issue of an English newsbook has remained uncut and so shows us its quarto imposition as the pages would have been laid out when printed.

Vincent, Discouerie, 1622 (4O2r)

The main text of this page focuses on genealogy, but the bleed-through of the ink on the verso reveals the presence of printed marginalia that has been pasted over (cf sig 4O2v).

Vincent, Discouerie, 1622 (4O3v)

At first glance, this page looks free from error and correction. But on a closer look, you can see that the last line of text has been added after the main text was printed---the last word of the line is printed over the original catchword and the ink is a slightly different color.

Whole Booke of Psalmes, 1640 (2E2v)

If you look closely at this page, you can see a number of signs that the printers weren't experts: the inked shoulders, an italic L instead of a roman, different styles of apostrophes, and slightly wobbly letters.