1611 The Great He Bible – First Edition of the King James Bible

The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament and the New. Newly Translated Out of the Originall Tongues: And with the former translations diligently compared and revised, by his Maiesties Speciall Comandement…

Summary

The editio princeps of the King James Bible – the crowning jewel of English Bible versions and one of the most important books in all literature.

Description

General title page in facsimile. Calendar printed in red and black. Text in large two column black letter type with 59 lines to the full column and within a ruled border. With the reading “and he went into the citie” in Ruth 3:15. New Testament title page (1611) with the twelve tribes of Israel on the left and the twelve disciples on the right. The four evangelists with their gospel symbols around the letterpress with the Tetragrammaton, the dove, and the slain Lamb at the center. Woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces throughout.

Collation

A^6, B^2 [-A^6, General title and first five preliminary leaves in facsimile], C^6 [Calendar], D^4 [-D1, Tables with first leaf in facsimile], A-C^6 [-A1, Genealogies with title page in facsimile], D^2 [Double-page map in facsimile]; A-Z^6, Aa-Zz^6, Aaa-Zzz^6, Aaaa-Zzzz^6, Aaaaa-Ccccc^6 [Old Testament and Apocrypha]; A-Z^6, Aa^6 [New Testament]. Complete Bible text with eight preliminary leaves and the map supplied in facsimile.

Binding

Rebound in two-toned black and brown paneled calf. Boards ruled and rolled in blind around a central lozenge. Spine with five raised bands and elaborate blind-tooling to compartments with two gilt-lined red morocco labels and the words “Holy Bible” and “1611” lettered in gilt. New plain endpapers.

Condition

Preliminaries stained to third of text, gradually decreasing through Genealogies until it fades away in Genesis; B1-C2 of prelims remargined; R1,R3 (Deut 2-5) loss to foot with the few missing words replaced in facs; R4 (Deut 6-7) loss of a few verses to outer column replaced in facs; Ssss3 repaired closed tear through text without loss; I2-6 closed tear repaired to lower margin; P6 (Rom 13) lower corner repaired without loss; T1 small repair to lower corner with few missing words replaced in facs; Aa1-4 (Rev 8-16) lower and upper corner repaired with portion of headline replaced in facs; Aa5-6 (Rev 16-22) margin and portions of gutter repaired with missing portions replaced in facs; soiling to final few leaves; some lower corner folds toward the end of the New Testament; generally a clean, crisp, and bright copy.

Note

Arguably the most important book ever published in English in one of only two hundred surviving copies. Its influence can best be summed up by G.M. Trevelyan who stated that "for every Englishman who had read Sidney or Spenser, or had seen Shakespeare acted at the Globe, there were hundreds who had read or heard the Bible with close attention as the words of God. The effect of the continual domestic study of the book upon the national character, imagination and intelligence for nearly three centuries to come, was greater than that of any literary movement in our annals, or any religious movement since the coming of St. Augustine." Macaulay said of it, “If everything else in our language should perish, [the King James Bible] would alone suffice to show the whole extent of its beauty and power” (PMM 114).

References

Herbert 309; STC 2216; ESTC S122347; PMM 114. Brake-Hellstern Census of He Bibles # BHC-300.