Image 1 of 20
Image 2 of 20
Image 3 of 20
Image 4 of 20
Image 5 of 20
Image 6 of 20
Image 7 of 20
Image 8 of 20
Image 9 of 20
Image 10 of 20
Image 11 of 20
Image 12 of 20
Image 13 of 20
Image 14 of 20
Image 15 of 20
Image 16 of 20
Image 17 of 20
Image 18 of 20
Image 19 of 20
Image 20 of 20
The Holy Bible, Conteining the Old Testament and the New: Newly translated out of the Original Tongues: And with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, By his Majesties Speciall commandement.
Summary
A very early quarto edition of the King James Bible in a contemporary binding with beveled oak boards and metalwork. A very early She Bible, much like the first quarto edition which closely follows the text of the 1611 first folio edition.
Description
Begins with the Book of Common Prayer, lacking all before the Collects. Bound with the illustrated Genealogies by J[ohn] S[peed] with printed title page. General title page (1613) engraved within woodcut border comprising twenty-four compartments showing the tents of the twelve tribes as well as the figures of the twelve apostles. Titles feature a heart shaped frame. Text in two column Roman font, closely following the text in the first edition. Each page is surrounded by a ruled border. Ruth 3:15 with the reading “And she went into the citie.” Apocrypha included as issued. Similar New Testament title page (1612). Concludes with colophon (1612). Bound with The Booke of Psalmes by Sternhold and Hopkins with title page (1614). Psalter lacks final leaves of Prayers. Numerous woodcut first chapter initials and head- and tailpieces throughout.
Collation
A^8, A-Z^8, Aa-Zz^8, Aaa-Yyy^8 (-Ggg4,5 Malachi 1:10 – 1 Esdras 1:47), Zzz^2, [A]-[M]^8. Lacks the final leaf of the Old Testament and the first leaf of the Apocrypha.
Binding
Brown period calf over beveled oak boards. Evidence of clasps. Covers with centerpieces, backstrips, and six of eight metal corners. Plain endpapers. Rubbed and scuffed with small loss to head and tail of spine and small repair to rear board.
Condition
A clean text overall with good margins; two pin-sized worm holed from Genesis through 1 Chronicles; Xx 4,5 old edge repair without loss; Xxx4, [X]7 lower marginal loss.
Provenance
“Thomas Ponsall 1669” and “Jane Beach was borne April the 16 1714, about 10 o’clock on Friday night” both on verso of New Testament title page.
Note
This early printing closely follows the text of the first edition “He” Bible, yet is offered at a significantly lower price point. It is preserved in a contemporary binding with much of its original metalwork intact. A scarce and valuable edition, it is the first King James quarto to feature a heart-shaped title page and retains the ruled borders on every page, as seen in the 1612 first quarto.
References
Herbert 320; STC 2225; ESTC S125492.