Oxford readers now have access to the online Frankfurt and Leipzig Book Fair Catalogues via SOLO and Databases A-Z. It has the digitized versions (from microfilm) of the catalogues for the Frankfurt and Leipzig book fairs, representing an almost complete run from 1594 to 1860. As well as a historical bibliographical tool relevant to those researching early modern and 19th century history, history of science and medicine, etc. it is also a useful primary source for the history of scholarship, of literature, of publishing and of the intellectual development of central Europe.

“Book-trade catalogues, generally referred to as book fair catalogues, offer a unique overview of German – and in many respects European – book production over a period of nearly 300 years (1594-1860). This form of information, originally intended for the contemporary book trade, today forms an important and comprehensive historical bibliography of the period.

Developed in the 16th century, the book fair catalogues for the Spring or Easter and Autumn or Michaelmas Fairs provided the widest possible overview of the books on offer during this period. Only when other sources of information began to take their place did they cease publication in 1860.”

The following fair catalogues are included:

• Catalogus universalis, hoc est designatio omnium librorum, qui hisce nundinis … Francofurtensibus & Lipsiensibus anno [1594-1691]
• Catalogus universalis, sive designatio omnium librorum, qui hisce nundinis … Francofurtensibus & Lipsiensibus anni [1692-1711]
• Catalogus universalis sive designatio eorum librorum, qui hisce nundinis vernalibus Francofurtensibus et Lipsiensibus anni [1712-1732]
• Catalogus universalis, oder Verzeichniß derer Bücher, welche in der Frankfurter und Leipziger Michael-Messe entweder ganz neu gedruckt oder sonsten verbessert wieder aufgeleget worden sind  [1733-1759]
• Allgemeines Verzeichnis der Bücher, welche von Ostern bis Michaelis von Michaelis bis Ostern neu gedruckt oder aufgelegt worden sind [1760-1850]
• Messkatalog [1850-1854]
• Bibliographisches Jahrbuch für den deutschen Buch-, Kunst- und Landkarten-Handel [1854-1860]

The book details are organised by topic. You can download individual pages or sections from the online catalogues are pdfs.