Bible, English, King James Version, London, 1617, eighteenth-century calf with metalwork

Bible. English. King James Version

The Holy Bible, containing the Old Testament, and the New, newly translated out of the Originall tongues (The genealogies recorded in the Sacred Scriptures... by J[ohn] S[peed]). London: Robert Barker, (1617)

folio (415 x 260mm.), printed in red and black, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, The genealogies bound at end of preliminaries (containing woodcut illustrations and double-page engraved map by John Speed dated 1611), New Testament title-page within woodcut border and dated 1617, eighteenth-century calf over wooden boards, roll-tooled panel on covers, metal bosses and corner-pieces, spine with over-covering of reversed calf edged with metal strips, lacking first title (a similar woodcut title supplied in facsimile) and A2 from the Genealogies, occasional light staining, a few small marginal tears, map cut somewhat close and slightly frayed at edges, binding rubbed, one cornerpiece damaged, another seemingly replaced, lacking two clasps

A GOOD COPY OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE, as usual a copy with leaves from different settings, with the reading "He" at Ruth 3:15. The setting is not completely identical to any of the folio bibles of 1611, 1613 and 1617 but the New Testament title is dated 1617. The New Testament leaves additionally have a mix of quire numbering, some leaves with the quire numbering continuing from the Old Testament (found in the 1617 edition), and some starting again from A (found in the 1611 and 1613 editions). This copy is less incomplete than usual, lacking just the first title-page and one leaf from the Genealogies.

The King James Bible is acknowledged as one of the most influential texts on modern English language and literature. It was commissioned in 1604 by James I, shortly after ascending the throne of England, during a conference held to address religious uniformity. It was composed by various committees, based in Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster, each taking a section of the text to work through. The result was knowingly and heavily based on Tyndale's versions (see lot 108) and other earlier English editions, such as the Geneva Bible and the Bishops' Bible. The printer, Robert Barker, provided unbound copies of the Bishops' Bible for the translators to work on; one of these copies survives today to show how the revision was done.

The binding on this copy is somewhat unusual, being made in an archaic style but using a typical Harleian period roll-tool to form the central panel, the sort of tool that is usually used for a gilt border. The roll-tool seems identical to one used by Edwin Moore of Cambridge, who executed many Harleian-style bindings in the mid-eighteenth century.

LITERATURE:

DMH 353; STC 2247 & 23039

PROVENANCE:

inscription at foot of title-page of genealogies dated 1745