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The Bible. Translated According to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best Translations in Divers Languages. With most profitable Annotations…
Summary
The Grand Noble Geneva Bible in pulpit folio size with large margins and black letter text. A particularly tall copy of the largest and most impressive of the Geneva Bibles ever printed.
Description
General title page (1583) with elaborate woodcut border printed in red and black with red highlights. The preliminary leaves include the Epistle (1 f.), Address (1 p.), Cranmer’s Prologue (4 pp.), Genealogical Table (11 pp.), An Almanacke (1 p.), Kalender in red and black (12 pp.), List of Books (1 p.), How to Take Profite… (1 p.), The Summe of the whole Scripture (2 pp.), Certaine questions and answeres… (2 pp.), Of the incomparable Treasure (1 p.). The large copperplate engraving of Adam and Eve makes its first appearance facing Genesis 1. Text in two-column black letter. Full set of illustrations and maps. Separate title page to the Book of Psalms (1583) with a different woodcut border featuring Lady Justice and Mercy. Near full-page woodcut of Ezekiel’s temple. Title page to the Apocrypha (1583) like the Psalms title. New Testament title page with woodcut border like the general title. Ends with the complete Tables.
Collation
A-C^6, D^4 (Prelims); A-Z^6, Aa-Zz^6, Aaa-Zzz^6, Aaaa-Vvvv^6 (Old Testament); A-Z^6 (New Testament); *^6, **^4 (Tables). Lacks Tt6 (Job 12-15) and the final ten leaves of Tables.
Binding
Bound in early twentieth century red morocco. Boards elaborately paneled in black and gilt around a gilt-lined black onlay surrounded by a gilt rolled border with corner fleurons. Spine with six raised bands, gilt tooling to compartments, and a black morocco label with the words “Bible Geneva Version 1583” lettered in gilt. Marbled endpapers. Rubbed with upper joint just starting, but firm.
Condition
Text is clean and crisp with little staining; generous margins throughout; title page trimmed and laid down; title page of Psalms laid down with small loss to border; H1 upper corner loss of a few words; Yy1 (Psalms 1) with loss to headline; A1, Tt4, Uu1, Ggg4 with short closed tear; Fff3-4 (Prov 23-27) loss to upper fourth of text; final leaf of Apocrypha laid down; NT title with repair to lower margin; A2-3 lower closed tear into text; T5-U2 in NT with repair to headlines.
Note
The 1583 Grand Noble is the largest and most popular of the almost 200 editions of the Geneva Bible. It is the only full-size pulpit folio ever printed (the 1578 being significantly smaller). The typography of this edition is quite pleasing, and the book boasts wide margins and attractive black letter text with four title pages, including the very first appearance of the large engraving of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. An impressive, complete copy of a highly desirable book in attractive red morocco.
References
Herbert 178; STC 2136; ESTC S42; Luborsky 2136.