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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. Bible text in Roman font with the full set of Geneva illustrations and maps. One of the most desirable editions of the Geneva Bible, carried aboard the Mayflower to America.
Description
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 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. Concludes with a dated colophon (1599) at the end of the two Tables. Bound with a complete copy of the Booke of Psalmes (n.d.) Woodcut first chapter initials and decorated head- and tailpieces throughout. This copy was likely printed in the 1630s in Amsterdam.
Collation
[par]4(-[par]1, first title), A-Z8(-X8, Y1), &6 (first part: Gen-Job), Aa-Qq8 (second part: Psalms- Malachi), Aaa-Qqq8, Rrr4 (New Testament). Lacks two leaves of text (Ezra 1:4 - 7:1).
Binding
Bound in near-contemporary mottled paneled sheep. Covers within concentric blind panels with corner fleurons and “W. Wells” to centre in gilt (faded on rear). Spine with four raised blind-lined bands and a red morocco label with the words “The Bible” and 1599 lettered in gilt. Spine repaired at head and foot.
Condition
Infrequent spotting and a few marks here and there, but quite clean overall; Y2,7,8, Iii2 with marginal loss; Mmm4 long repaired closed tear; a very good copy with nice margins.
Provenance
Endpapers with manuscript entries for the Wells family including “Robert Wells his Book 1733” and “William Wells his Book give him grace thereon to look…”.
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 248; STC 2174.