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The Bible, That is, the Holy Scriptures Conteined in the Old and New Testament. Translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best translation in divers Languages. With most profitable Annotations…
Summary
The famous 1599 quarto Geneva Bible. Complete Bible text in Roman font with the full set of Geneva illustrations and maps. One of the most desirable editions of the Geneva Bible.
Description
The printed title page (1599) with woodcut border comprising twenty-four small compartments showing the tents of the twelve tribes as well as the figures of the twelve apostles. Title is enclosed within a heart-shaped frame. Second printed title page with woodcut of the Red Sea. Text in two column Roman font containing Tomson’s New Testament and Junius’ Revelation. Complete set of Geneva illustrations and maps. Title to the Second Part (n.d.) with decorated headpiece. Issued without Apocrypha. New Testament title page (1599) with similar woodcut border as general title. Concludes with a dated colophon (1599) at the end of the two Tables. Woodcut first chapter initials and decorated head- and tailpieces throughout. This copy was likely printed in the 1630s in Amsterdam.
Collation
[par]^4, A^8, A-Z^8, &^6 (first part: Gen-Job), Aa-Qq^8 (second part: Psalms- Malachi), Aaa-Qqq^8, Rrr^4 (New Testament). Bible text complete with all title pages.
Binding
Rebacked in late eighteenth century mottled calf. Spine with five recessed bands and blind tooling to compartments, and a black gilt-lined morocco label with the words “Brkers’ Bible 1599” in gilt. Rubbed with bumped corners. Renewed plain endpapers.
Condition
General title page stained with lower marginal loss and repair not impacting woodcut border; A2, Q4 with short closed tears; C3-6, Ee3, Ll3, Nnn2-8 with fore-edge remargined without loss; Ll4,5 with fore-edge repair and loss to sidenotes; D8 lower marginal loss; Q-Z half-moon stain to outer column of text; Ggg3-5 loss to fore-edge margin. Infrequent spotting and staining, but overall a clean copy with generous margins and a good impression.
Provenance
Nineteenth century ownership inscriptions to front pastedown of John Thomas Coll (1816), Andrew Ronald (1865), and Bessie Ronald (1882). A few newspaper clippings about Breeches Bibles tipped in to front endpaper. “Andrew Ronald Glasgow April 1863” in neat hand to head of first title page. Handwritten notes about early English Bibles to final blank endpapers.
Note
Most Geneva Bibles dated 1599 were printed in Amsterdam following King James's 1616 ban on printing the Geneva Bible in England, intended to promote his sponsored translation. Despite the ban, the Geneva Bible remained popular and was printed abroad, then imported into England. In the 1630s, Archbishop Laud prohibited its importation, prompting printers to add falsely dated title pages to circumvent restrictions. The Geneva Bible's popularity endured for over three generations, as evidenced by the vast number of pirated copies available today, highlighting that the King James Bible did not immediately become the dominant text.
References
Herbert 249; STC 2175; Lea Wilson’s No. 5.