Single leaf woodcut calendar (1478-1479) Kalendar by Magister Johannes de Gamundia Copenhagen The National Museum

Single leaf woodcut calendar printed with two blocs on paper 39,5 x 29 cm.
Bloc cut for use in 1478 and 1479, reprinted with erasures c.1480 by an anonymous German publisher.
The original wooden bloc is preserved in Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett, and all extant prints are modern copies from this original bloc.
Copenhagen, The National Museum, without inventory number (reproduced as a postcard c.1970). Probably a print from the 19th century on paper without watermarks, mounted between glasspanes.
(I'm indepted to Curator Poul Grinder-Hansen for his kind permission to study the calendar in his office in April 1995).

Magister Johannes de Gamundia, alias Johannes Nyder was born in Gmünd in Schwaben.
He was educated as Magister in Mathematics and Astronomy in Vienna, where he spend most of his life, and died in 1442 as Chancellor of the University in Vienna . The entry on the last day of February: "Hec Magister Johannes de Gamundia" (compilavit or composuit, erased on the empty line below), makes him the author, and has created some confusion in the 19th century concerning the date of this unique incunabulum. Grotefend studied the early manuscript material, and came to the conclusion that the original calendar was composed for the year 1439. The style of the calendar pictures show that this woodcut was made many years after his death, they cannot be any earlier than 1465. W.L.Schreiber proposed a date around 1470-1475 by stylistical comparison. The pattern in the days which have been cut out of the blocs aroused my suspicion, many have the same Sunday letter. The reason for such an alteration would most likely be the presence of some days connected with moveable feasts, which makes it obsolete for the market already a year after its production (who would buy a time manager from last year?). By comparison with the 35 calendars in Grotefend's Taschenbuch der Zeitrechnung did I find that when Caput jejunii is placed on the first empty day 4 February does it correspond with the Sunday letter D for the year, where some days are erased on the recto, and that this combination is so rare that it only occurred once in the 15th century! (Easter fell on 22 March in 1383, 1478 and 1573). Turning the leaf changes the empty days to the Sunday letter C, which very appropiately points to the following year 1479, where the empty days correspond to some erased indications of Sundays after Trinity, see in the comments to the calendar below. Easter in 1479 fell on 11 April (Grotefend's calendar No.21). What first seemed confusing is in reality very simple. A printer had for some years produced a woodcut calendar containing indications of moveable feasts, with new copies of the calendar illustrations. When competition from modern printers (with their own types) became too strong did he decide to reprint some of the old blocs, which only was possible if he cut some of the days out of the bloc, to convert it into a kalendarium perpetuum. The first bloc was then originally cut for sale in 1478, but modified and printed for sale again in 1480 or later. The kalendarium was composed as a "universal" calendar, and if the attribution to Johannes de Gamundia as the original author in 1439 is reliable is it the oldest surviving commercial calendar. Compare it with later commercial calendars of the same type in two Hore ad usum Romanum: Hardouin 1512 and NkS 1259 8° (c.1530)
Bibliography:
Hundert Kalender-Inkunabeln herausgegeben von Paul Heitz mit begleitendem Text von Konrad Haebler, Strassburg 1905, p.15 No.1, Tafel I.
W.L.Schreiber: Handbuch der Holz- und Metalschnitte des XV. Jahrhunderts, Band IV, p.67, No.1903, (with bibliografical references).
[The comments below are not systematical. They mark a few days which have been checked for possible misplacements or errors. Most saints are placed on the correct day, and can be verified with a copy of Martyrologium Usuardi with additions. A few segments are drawn from another unidentified source. The golden numbers follow a special system, where 1.Jan has none, 25.Dec. is v, 31. Dec. is xviij ]

JANUARIUS
01	01	A	Circumcisio domini
02	01	b	Octava Stephani
03	01	c	Octa. Johannis
04	01	d	Octa. Innocentum
05	01	e	Thelesphori
06	01	f	Epiphania domini
07	01	g	Relatio ihesu de egipto
08	01	A	Erhardi epi
09	01	b	Juliani et basilisse
10	01	c	Pauli primi [heremite]
11	01	d	Salvii
12	01	e	Satiri mr.
13	01	f	Hylarii. Oct. epiphanie
14	01	g	Felicis confessoris
15	01	A	Mauri abbatis
16	01	b	Medardi
17	01	c	Anthoni abbatis
18	01	d	Prisce virg.
19	01	e	Bermanii mr.	=Germani?
20	01	f	Fabiani et sebastiani
21	01	g	Agnetis virginis
22	01	A	Vincencii martiris
23	01	b	Emerenciane
24	01	c	Thimothei apli
25	01	d	Conversio pauli
26	01	e	Policarpi epi
27	01	f	Juliani epi
28	01	g	Translatio thome daquino	Dominican cf. octave Thome 14.03.
29	01	A	Agnetis secundo
30	01	b	Aldegundis virg.
31	01	c	Metrani mr.	Usuard
FEBRUARIUS
01	02	d	Ignacius, brigide
02	02	e	Purificatio marie
03	02	f	Blasii mris epi
04	02	g	[erased]	Caput jejunii (1478) =Easter on 22. March
05	02	A	Agathe virginis
06	02	b	Dorothee virg.
07	02	c	Moysetis epi	Usuard: Moysetes episcopus
08	02	d	Helene
09	02	e	Appollonia [virg.]	Usuard
10	02	f	Scolastice
11	02	g	Eufrasia virg.
12	02	A	Eulalie
13	02	b	Poliocti mr.
14	02	c	Valentini mr.
15	02	d	Cratonis mr.	(Printed: Ctatonis. Usuard: Craton m.)
16	02	e	Juliane virg.
17	02	f	Polocronii epi
18	02	g	Symeonis epi
19	02	A	Babini mr.
20	02	b	Potamii
21	02	c	Veroli, servuli
22	02	d	Kathedra petri
23	02	e	Syreni monachi
24	02	f	Mathie apli
25	02	g	Victorini
26	02	A	Alexandri epi
27	02	b	Leandri epi
28	02	c	Romani abbatis
			Hec Magister Johannes de Gamundia
MARTIUS
01	03	d	Albini epi
02	03	e	Jovini et basilei	Usuard: Jovinus
03	03	f	Kunegundis virg.	(Obitus)
04	03	g	Lucii pape
05	03	A	Foce mr.
06	03	b	Juliani epi
07	03	c	Perpetue et felicitatis
08	03	d	Poncii dyaconi
09	03	e	Bongorii	(Unidentified misprint)
10	03	f	Atali
11	03	g	xl militum
12	03	A	Gregorii
13	03	b	macedonii presbiteri
14	03	c	Octa. thome [daquino]	(Only the octave of the feast on 7 March!)
15	03	d	Longini mr.
16	03	e	Cyriaci dyaconi
17	03	f	Gertrudis virg.
18	03	g	Alexandri epi
19	03	A	Joseph marie tutoris
20	03	b	Cuthberti
21	03	c	Benedicti abb.
22	03	d	Pauli epi
23	03	e	Theodori presbiteri
24	03	f	Pigmenii presbiteri
25	03	g	Annunciacio marie
26	03	A	Castoli mr.
27	03	b	Johannis heremite
28	03	c	Guntrammi regis
29	03	d	Eustachii abb.
30	03	e	Quirini mr.
31	03	f	Balbine virg.
APRILIS
01	04	g	Theodore mris
02	04	A	Marie egipciace
03	04	b	Agapis et thyomine
04	04	c	Ambrosii epi
05	04	d	Vincencii confessoris
06	04	e	Thimotei
07	04	f	Egesippi	(Utrecht)
08	04	g	Perpetui epi
09	04	A	Prochori	Usuard: Procorus diaconus
10	04	b	Ezechielis	Usuard: Ezechiel propheta
11	04	c	Leonis pape
12	04	d	Julii pape
13	04	e	Hermingildi regis
14	04	f	Tyburcii et valeriani
15	04	g	Maronis	Usuard: Maro m.
16	04	A	Quintiliani
17	04	b	Helie presbiteri
18	04	c	Appollonii . senatoris
19	04	d	Dulcissi et karissi	Dulcissimi & Carissimi (Bamberg)
20	04	e	Victoris pape
21	04	f	Symeonis epi
22	04	g	Gay pape	Printed: Bay!
23	04	A	Georgii mris
24	04	b	Analberti epi
25	04	c	Marci ewangeliste
26	04	d	Cleti pape
27	04	e	Anastasii pape
28	04	f	Vitalis mr.
29	04	g	Petri mr.
30	04	A	Eutropii mr.
MAYUS
01	05	b	Phillippi et Jacobi
02	05	c	Sigismundi regis
03	05	d	Inventio crucis
04	05	e	Corone domini
05	05	f	Euthimii dyaconi
06	05	g	Johannis ante portam latinam
07	05	A	Translacio petri mr.
08	05	b	Apparicio michaelis
09	05	c	Hermetis	Usuard: Hermen discp. Pauli
10	05	d	Gorgonii
11	05	e	Mamerti
12	05	f	Nerei . achillei
13	05	g	Servacii
14	05	A	Bonifacii mr.
15	05	b	Ysidori mr.
16	05	c	Maxime virg.
17	05	d	Brandani conf.	(Schweitz)
18	05	e	Dyoscori	Usuard
19	05	f	Potenciane virg.
20	05	g	Bernhardini
21	05	A	Secundini	Usuard
22	05	b	Helene virg.
23	05	c	Desiderii epi	Usuard
24	05	d	Translatio dominici	(Dominican feast)
25	05	e	Urbani pape
26	05	f	Augustini epi
27	05	g	Bede prebiteri
28	05	A	Wilhelmi monachi	Guillelmi ducis (Brixen 28 May)
29	05	b	Maximi epi	Usuard: Maximini
30	05	c	Felicis pape
31	05	d	Petronelle virg.
JUNIUS
01	06	e	Panphilii	(Usuard: Pamphili)
02	06	f	Marcellini et petri
03	06	g	Erasmi epi	Usuard
04	06	A	Quirini epi	Usuard
05	06	b	Bonifacii epi	Usuard
06	06	c	Philippi dyaconi	Usuard
07	06	d	Pauli epi et mr.	Usuard
08	06	e	Medardi epi	Usuard
09	06	f	Primi et feliciani
10	06	g	Onofferi heremite	(Onuphrii erem. 10 Jun. Augsburg)
11	06	A	Barnabe apli
12	06	b	Basilidis	Usuard
13	06	c	Anthonii [de padua]
14	06	d	Basilii	Usuard
15	06	e	Viti et Modesti mrm.
16	06	f	Marcialis epi	(Dominican day, usually 30 Jun.)
17	06	g	Volmari confessoris	Usuard
18	06	A	Marci et Marcelliani
19	06	b	Gervasii et prothasii
20	06	c	Novati	Usuard
21	06	d	Albani mr.
22	06	e	Decem milium mrm.
23	06	f	Regine. Vigilia
24	06	g	Johannis baptiste
25	06	A	Eligii
26	06	b	Johannis et Pauli
27	06	c	Septem dormiencium
28	06	d	Leonis pape. Vigilia
29	06	e	Petri et pauli apostolorum
30	06	f	Pauli commemoratio
JULIUS
01	07	g	Octa. iohannis bap.
02	07	A	Visitacio marie
03	07	b	Processi et martiniani
04	07	c	Udalrici epi	(eps Augustani)
05	07	d	Sancte Zoe	Usuard
06	07	e	Octava apostolorum
07	07	f	Willibaldi epi	(eps Eistetten.)
08	07	g	Kyliani mr.
09	07	A	Octa. visitacionis
10	07	b	Septem fratrum mrm.
11	07	c	Procopii abb.	Dominican day, normally 4 July
12	07	d	[erased]	8. post Trinitatis (1478)
13	07	e	Margarete
14	07	f	Foce epi	Usuard
15	07	g	Divisio apostolorum
16	07	A	Eustachii	Usuard
17	07	b	Alexii confessoris
18	07	c	Arnulfi epi
19	07	d	Arsenii abb.	Usuard
20	07	e	Joseph iustus
21	07	f	Braxedis virg.
22	07	g	Marie magdalene
23	07	A	Appollinaris mr.
24	07	b	Cristine virginis
25	07	c	Jacobi apli. xpofori
26	07	d	Anne matris marie
27	07	e	Innocencii pape
28	07	f	Pantaleonis mr.
29	07	g	Martha virginis
30	07	A	Abdon et sennen
31	07	b	Bermani epi	Read: Germani (Usuard)
AUGUSTUS
01	08	c	Ad vincula petri
02	08	d	Stephani pape
03	08	e	Stephani Invencio
04	08	f	Terculini mr.	Usuard: Tertullinus
05	08	g	Oswaldi. Dominici
06	08	A	Sixti epi
07	08	b	Affre mr.
08	08	c	Cyriacus cum sociis
09	08	d	Romani. Vigilia
10	08	e	Laurencii mr.
11	08	f	Hylarie. Tyburcii
12	08	g	Helene
13	08	A	Ypoliti et sociorum
14	08	b	Eusebii
15	08	c	Assumpcionis marie	(Printed on two lines)
16	08	d
17	08	e	Octa. laurencii
18	08	f	Agapiti mr.
19	08	g	Sebaldi conf.	not in Usuard (Bamberg)
20	08	A	Bernhardi abb.
21	08	b	Primati epi	Usuard: Privati
22	08	c	Octa. assumpcionis
23	08	d	Vigilia
24	08	e	Bartholomei
25	08	f	Lodovici regis	Printed: Lodomici!
26	08	g	Zepherini pape	Usuard
27	08	A	Ruffi mr.
28	08	b	Augustinus epi
29	08	c	Decollacio johannis
30	08	d	Felicis et adaucti
31	08	e	Paulini epi
SEPTEMBER
01	09	f	Egidii abbatis
02	09	g	Justi epi
03	09	A	Remacli epi	(eps Traject.)
04	09	b	Marcelli	Usuard
05	09	c	[erased]	13. post Trinitatis (1479)
06	09	d	Zacharie prophete	Usuard
07	09	e	Regine virg.
08	09	f	Nativitas marie
09	09	g	Kunegundis virg.	Translatio (Bamberg, Salzburg)
10	09	A	Nicolai de tollentino
11	09	b	Prothi et iacincti
12	09	c	Syri et iuvencii
13	09	d	Maurelii	Usuard: Maurilio episc.
14	09	e	Exaltacio crucis	(Printed on two lines)
15	09	f	[erased]	Quatember autumnale (1479)
16	09	g	Eufemie virg.
17	09	A	Lamper[ti] epi	Usuard: Lambertus
18	09	b	Ferreoli mr.	Usuard
19	09	c	Eustachii epi
20	09	d	Fauste virg.
21	09	e	Mathei ewangeliste
22	09	f	Mauricii et sociorum
23	09	g	Tecle virg.
24	09	A	Geniani abb.	Printed Bemani! perhaps Geniani abb. or Germani abb. (=Geremari)
25	09	b	Lupi epi
26	09	c	Cipriani epi
27	09	d	Cosme et damiani
28	09	e	Wenczeslai
29	09	f	Michaelis archangele
30	09	g	Jheronimi prebiteri
OCTOBER
01	10	A	Remigii epi
02	10	b	Leodegarii epi	Usuard
03	10	c	Sulpicii
04	10	d	Francisci confessoris
05	10	e	Appollinaris epi
06	10	f	Fidis, caprasii
07	10	g	Marci pape
08	10	A	Symeonis senis	Usuard
09	10	b	Dyonisii et sociorum
10	10	c	[erased]	18. post Trinitatis (1479)
11	10	d	Translatio augustini
12	10	e	Eustachii presbiteri	Usuard
13	10	f	Edwardi confessoris
14	10	g	Kalixti
15	10	A	In colonia [?	[Line unfinished. Usuard: Apud Coloniam Agripinam, natalis sanctorum quinquaginta martyrum]
16	10	b	Galli abb.
17	10	c	Heronis epi	Usuard: Heron discipulus Ignatii
18	10	d	Luce ewangeliste
19	10	e	Januarii
20	10	f	Caprasii mr.
21	10	g	Undecim milium virginum
22	10	A	Salome	Usuard: ex evangelo
23	10	b	Severini epi
24	10	c	Columbani
25	10	d	Crispini et Crispiniani
26	10	e	Rustici epi	Usuard
27	10	f	Florencii mr.
28	10	g	Symeonis et Jude
29	10	A	Narcisci	Usuard: Narcissus episc.
30	10	b	Serapionis epi	Usuard (Amiens)
31	10	c	Quintini
NOVEMBER
01	11	d	Omnium sanctorum
02	11	e	Omnium animarum
03	11	f	Quarti apostolorum	Usuard: Quartus discipulus apost.
04	11	g	Proculi epi	Usuard
05	11	A	Zacharie	Usuard
06	11	b	Leonhardi conf.
07	11	c	Willibrordi	(eps Traject.)
08	11	d	Octa. omnium sanctorum
09	11	e	Theodori
10	11	f	Quatuor coronatorum
11	11	g	Martini epi
12	11	A	Gumperti	(Printed: Bumperti, Usuard: Cuniberti)
13	11	b	Briccii
14	11	c	[erased]	23. post Trinitatis (1479)
15	11	d	Eugenii	(epi Tolet. mr.)
16	11	e	Othmari abb.	(St.Gallen)
17	11	f	Aniani epi	Usuard
18	11	g	Octa. martini
19	11	A	Elizabeth vidue
20	11	b	Eadmundi regis
21	11	c	Presentacio marie
22	11	d	Cecilie virginis
23	11	e	Clementis pape
24	11	f	Crisogoni mr.
25	11	g	Katherine virginis
26	11	A	Conradi epi	(eps Constantien.)
27	11	b	Vitalis et agricole
28	11	c	Sostenes	Usuard: discipulus pauli
29	11	d	Saturnini mr.
30	11	e	Andree apli
DECEMBER
01	12	f	Crisanti et darie
02	12	g	Juniane mr.	(Perhaps Jumane? Not identified)
03	12	A	Sole abb.	(Eichstätt)
04	12	b	Barbare virginis
05	12	c	Nicecii epi	Usuard
06	12	d	Nicolai epi
07	12	e	Octava andree
08	12	f	Concepcio marie
09	12	g	Leocadie virg.	Usuard
10	12	A	Eulalie virg.
11	12	b	Damasi pape
12	12	c	Hermogenis	Usuard: Hermogenes mr.
13	12	d	Lucie virg.
14	12	e	Nicasii
15	12	f	Valeriani epi
16	12	g	Ananie, azarie [et misael]
17	12	A	Lazari frater marte	Usuard
18	12	b	Winnbaldi	(abb. Eistetten.)
19	12	c	Nemesii mris	Usuard
20	12	d	Zepherini epi	Usuard
21	12	e	Thome apli
22	12	f	Birionis mr.	(Unidentified)
23	12	g	Servuli conf.	Usuard
24	12	A	Luciani conf.	Usuard
25	12	b	Nativitas domini
26	12	c	Stephani prothomartiris
27	12	d	Johannis apli et ew.
28	12	e	Sanctorum Innocentum
29	12	f	Thome mris
30	12	g	Felicis epi	(In some calendars: Felix ep. Romae)
31	12	A	Silvestri epi