Perhaps it is worth looking at the literature concerning 15th-century (European) blockbooks, which served a similar function of publishing-on-demand, as the woodcuts could be stored for considerably longer time than standing type. This is one reason why the dating of such books has to be done for each individual copy, using evidence like watermarks, rather than for the "edition". The fluctuation between the concept of edition and (variant) copy is also demonstrated by the numerous stages into which the "editions" are subdivided.
I would be very interested in references to further literature on this subject.
Dr. Bettina Wagner
Abteilung für Handschriften und Seltene Drucke
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Ludwigstr. 16
D-80539 Muenchen
Germany
email: bettina.wagner@bsb.badw-muenchen.de
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