Johann and Wendelin of Speyer

The brothers Johann and Wendelin of Speyer (also known as de Speier[1] and by their Italian names of Giovanni and Vindelino da Spira) were German printers in Venice from 1468 to 1477.

The Venetian Senate extended a cordial welcome to Johann, and granted him a monopoly of printing for five years.

During the printing of Augustine's De civitate Dei (1470) Johann died of the plague, and Wendelin completed it, assuming control of the business until 1477.

From 1470 to 1477 Wendelin issued over seventy major works (Italian and Roman classics, Fathers of the Church, jurists, etc.).

Johann printed in an antique type modelled after the best Italian manuscript writing, beautiful, and carefully cut.