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FrenchWoodcut-Illustrated Vulgate — Contemporary Binding

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•  Revised edition, following the first of 1506, of Jerome’s Vulgate as printed by Jacques Sacon for Anton Koberger of Nuremberg. Darlow and Moule note that Sacon “reprinted the best contemporary editions,” for example Kerver’s 1504 Paris edition.

This Bible is illustrated with two full-page and 130 in-text woodcuts (including some repeated images), a few of which have early hand-coloring, mostly but not entirely in green or yellow. One full-page cut shows the six days of Creation — partially hand-colored in green, brown, red, blue, and yellow — while another depicts the manger scene. The text is followed by the Interpretationes nominum hebraicorum, a dictionary of Hebrew names often appended to manuscript and early printed Bibles.

SCARCE: OCLC and RLIN report two holdings, both in the U.S.

Binding: Contemporary blind-tooled, alum-tawed pigskin over beech boards, elaborately worked using embossing rolls with religious vignettes and busts. Covers with etched metal corner bosses and remnants of leather and metal clasps.

•  Adams B988; c.f. Darlow & Moule 6101 & 6091. Binding as above, spine with hand-inked title; overall dust-soiled and darkened with several short tears to leather; leather no longer tight to the boards. Straps, clasp locking-mechanisms, and lower front metal corner now lost. Title-page and final two ff. of Interpretationes lacking; front pastedown separated from board and back pastedown lacking. First and last few leaves with insect damage to outer edges. First text page (contents) with old institutional rubber-stamp and shadow of pencilled numeral. A few leaves separated; a number of leaves with short tears from lower margins, a few extending into text, in many cases with traces of old repairs. Two leaves with lower outer corners torn away, one repaired some time ago. Pages age-toned, some waterstained. Scattered contemporary inked marginalia; some light underlining and a few instances of early inked doodling. Despite its faults, this is rare and imposing. (18000)

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Important Text — Important Binding
All Initials Highlighted

•  Also known as Collectarium sacrae Bibliae, this is only the second edition, the first having appeared earlier the same year at the suggestion of John Fisher (1459–1535), of this medieval compilation from the pen of the archibishop of Canterbury (d. 1292). An epitome and a particular one, it saw considerable acceptance if the number of surviving manuscript copies (whole or partial) are testimony.All initials are highlighted in red.

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Binding: Contemporary Flemish panel-stamped binding, calf over bevelled boards with remnants of brass and leather clasp. Each cover embossed twice with a panel featuring medallions of mythical and other creatures; thus, the panel is used four times. Binding's front pastedown not present, which exposes the board, turn-ins, and details of the volume's sewing structure; the rear pastedown consists largely of an older manuscript leaf.

Provenance: 17th-century spine label with initials “S.F.” and a tree design between them. Ownership signature of Gordon Duff; Yale University (bookplate) — deaccessioned.

•  Edition: Moreau, II, 930; Shaaber, British Authors Printed Abroad, P57; not in Darlow & Moule. Binding: Fogelmark, Flemish and Related Panel-Stamped Bindings, plate XXXII R.46 & pp. 48–49.  Volume rebacked and much of old spine reapplied; lacks title-leaf and last leaf torn across corner with loss replaced of old, colophon partly supplied in manuscript.  Highlights to initials as above; occasional early underlining or another mark and a later pencilled note on last leaf. Missing leaf and torn second one notwithstanding (though they do lower the price), this isa very nice copy in a notable early binding.

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NOT the London, 1637 —

English Octavo Bible Printed at Oxford

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•  An uncommon type of book sophistication: Considerable trouble has been taken to make this 1680 Oxford octavo Bible (the first complete English octavo Bible printed in that city) look like an earlier 1637 London Bible. The title-leaf and subsequent leaf from that Bible have been bound in at the beginning (the latter replicating the content found on f. [1] of this Bible) and the date on the New Testament sectional title has been all but completely erased. The charming binding supports the hoax, bearing a gilt “1637” on its spine.

This edition is printed in two unruled columns with shouldernotes, sidenotes (including dates), and italic headers. Acts 6:3 wrongly reads “ye may” for “we may.” Tables of kindred and affinity, weights and measures, money, and time are found on the last two pages. The New Testament sectional title has a woodcut vignette showing the arms of the University.

Binding: 19th-century black calf, elaborately tooled in blind in imaginative evocation of an “over the top” 17th-century binding, being horizontally, vertically, and diagonally ruled, foliate and floral devices within. Spine compartments tooled within, with gilt title in second one and gilt “Barker 1637” gilt at base. Red marbled endpapers. All edges gilt.




Provenance: 20th-century bookplate of C. ( or J.?) F. Weidmann, D.D. on front pastedown.

•  Herbert 757; Darlow & Moule 595; Wing (rev.) 2315; Loftie, A Century of Bibles, 354; ESTC R213033. (The title-page is from ESTC S90540 or S90541.) Binding as above, a little rubbed, and refurbished. Occasional light browning, soiling, and shallow bumping or chipping (not touching text). Lacking engraved title (replaced with title and preliminary leaf from another edition). A bibliophile’s delight, and warning.

Sarah Jeaffreson’s Bible

•  Nicely bound copy of this Wright and Gill publication, which joined an octavo edition by the same publishers in the same year. This Bible is without the Apocrypha, as issued; some copies are described as ending with leaf Qq12, although the present example closes on Mm12 with the words “The End.”

Provenance: Front pastedown with red leather bookplate gilt-stamped “Sarah Jeaffreson.” Also with tipped-in bookplate of the Zion Research Library’s A. Marguerite Smith Collection and with laid-in bookplate of the Endowment for Biblical Research, Boston.

Binding: Red goat, covers framed in floral gilt rolls and spine compartments with gilt-stamped geometric and floral decorations; very delicate and pretty. Board edges gilt, gilt inner dentelles, all edges gilt.

•  ESTC T91635; Darlow & Moule 1238. Binding moderately rubbed and abraded with spine slightly darkened; corners bumped and lower one of front cover discolored at leather-edge; gilt on edges faded almost away. Inside some age-toning, with a handful of small, light spots; one leaf torn along inner margin. Back fly-leaf with pencilled notation; scattered stray pencil marks to other leaves. A pleasing little Oxford Bible.

AT LEAST THREE “FIRSTS” — First English Septuagint
First American-Translated English N.T. — First Bible Printed by an American Woman

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•  The first-ever translation into English of the Septuagint, the first English translation of the New Testament by an American, and the first Bible printed by an American woman — Jane Aitken. It was also the first translation of the Greek New Testament into English by a native of Ireland, and of course it is the work of a key figure of the American Revolution.

 Charles Thomson was born in County Derry, Ireland, 29 November 1729 and arrived with his brothers in the American colonies as an orphan in 1740, his mother having died before embarkation and his father having died at sea during the crossing. He studied ancient languages and theology; through the influence of Benjamin Franklin received the mastership of the Latin school in Philadelphia (now the William Penn Charter School); kept records of proceedings at the Treaty of Easton (1757) on behalf of of the the Indian tribes, and was adopted into the Delaware Indian nation; served as the secretary of every congress from 1774 until 1789; and designed the Great Seal of the United States. An abolitionist and ardent supporter of the Revolutionary cause, he was characterized by a fellow Revolutionary (John Adams) as “the Sam Adams of Philadelphia, the life of the cause of liberty,” and by a conservative (Joseph Galloway) as “one of the most violent of the Sons of Liberty in America.” It was he who informed George Washington of his election to the presidency.

On 4 July 1776 only two signatures were affixed to the unanimously adopted Declaration of Independence — those of John Hancock, president of the Congress, and Charles Thomson, secretary, in order to authenticate the document that had been voted on and approved. Yet by a curious twist of fate (read rather, surely, of a political enemy's knife), when the calligraphic copy that is so well known to every school child was ready shortly after 19 July, authenticator Thomson was not invited to sign it!

When he had retired from public life in 1789, Thomson was to turn his interest in the Bible and Greek to the 20-year task of producing this monumentally important work.

Its printer was the daughter of Robert Aitken, who had printed the first Bible in English in America. A major edition of the English Bible, this is essential for any Bible collection, not just for collections of American Bibles — though as an American Bible and simple Americanum it has a revered place.

•  Rumball-Petre, Rare Bibles, 184; Hills 153; Herbert 1514; O'Callaghan 91–92; Shaw & Shoemaker 14486. On Thomson, see: Dictionary of American Biography, XVIII, 481–82.   Modern full black morocco, signed “GB” (Grace Bindings). Gilt spines. Black endpapers. The effect, richly elegant. Faintly visible pressure-stamps of a library (properly deaccessioned), each volume with neatly pencilled collection note and small old inked 5-digit number to first text leaf; in fact a remarkably clean, ever–well cared for, and handsome set.  (26019)

WATTS in a Pretty & Personal Binding

•  “Stereotype edition, carefully revised, and improved with Copious Indexes.” The editor was Samuel Worcester, who also selected the added hymns at the back of this volume.

Binding: Contemporary red straight-grain morocco, covers framed in gilt rolls, spine gilt extra, front cover gilt-stamped “John Bradley.” All edges marbled.

•  Shoemaker 31685. Binding as above, sides darkened, corners and spine rubbed, joints cracked with sewing holding but quite fragile. Fly-leaves with early pencilled ownership inscriptions and annotations. Light to moderate foxing. Separate title-page for second section (only) lacking.

Embossed Architectural Binding — EXCELLENT Condition

•  A lovely gift Bible, presented in the 19th century to one James Henry Newman by five members of his immediate family. Click the images for enlargements.

Binding:  Contemporary embossed rich cordovan-colored morocco cathedral binding featuring inter alii the Holy Ghost (in Pentacostal dove–form), the Agnus Dei, and stained/leaded glass “windows” both pointed and rosette. Spine additionally with gilt-stamped title; turn-ins with blind-roll design. All edges brightly gilt.

•  Not in Herbert.   Binding as above, in beautiful condition. First front fly-leaf with early inked familial gift inscription (including an explanation of one brother's having opted out of the group present!); second front fly-leaf with inked dedicatory poem.  (22266)

Becomingly SIMPLE Impression in aHandsome (Boston?) Binding

•  Handsomely and plainly printed in two columns of large type, without notes, this two-volume Bible is as remarkable for the becoming simplicity of its layout as it is for its handsome binding of red leather gilt.

Binding: Straight-grained red morocco amply gilt in the Regency style: Front corners with a wide gilt-stamped foliate frame enclosing a narrow blind-ruled frame. Spine with raised bands, a broad foliate gilt roll on each band, second and fourth compartments gilt-lettered within, rest with gilt frames. Gilt inner dentelles and board edges. Red and white silk head bands. Marbled endpapers in a stone pattern. All edges gilt.

Provenance: Presentation inscription on front fly-leaves: Preston(?) S. and Francis M. Lincoln, to their grandmother, Hannah Shepard, 1835. Small booklabel of Michael Zinman on front pastedown.

•  Hills 733; O’Callaghan 208. Binding as above, edges and joints with minor rubbing, front joint of vol. II opening from foot, bindings showing a few light or small abrasions. Lacking frontispiece for vol. I and possibly a frontispiece for vol. II: O’Callaghan gives this edition as having a frontispiece for each volume, while Hills cites two copies, one this size with a frontispiece for vol. I only, and a large paper copy with a frontispiece for each volume. A few closed tears into text without loss; some pages, especially towards the end of vol. I, shallowly chipped without loss of impression; light foxing throughout with occasional darker browning or staining. Inked ownership inscription on the recto of the first fly-leaf of each volume.

Victorian Blind- & Gilt-Stamped Binding
withEnamel Highlights

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•  Handsome “illuminated” binding on a neat little Bible, one printed on fine paper in a small type size.

Binding:  Contemporary black morocco, heavily blind-stamped and covers further graced by central gilt-stamped cartouches touched with red and green enameled highlights. Spine with similar blind- and gilt-stamping, highlighted in red and green. All edges gilt.

•  Not in Herbert.   Binding as above, minimal rubbing to edges and extremities, gilt lightly rubbed in a few areas, corners bumped. Front free endpaper with pencilled ownership inscription dated 1846. Back free endpaper with spot of dampstaining partially adhered to back pastedown and offset onto last leaf of text. Pages gently age-toned, otherwise clean. A little knockout.  (21996)

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