1599 Quarto Illustrated Geneva Bible – The Goose Bible

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

A pirated 1599 quarto Geneva Bible. Complete Bible text in Roman font with the entire set of Geneva illustrations and maps. This Goose Bible contains two composite heart-shaped title pages with no imprint.

Description

The engraved title (n.d.) 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. Text in two column Roman font with wide margins throughout 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. No Apocrypha as issued. Similar New Testament woodcut title page (n.d.). Concludes with the Two Tables, ending on the colophon (n.d.). Bound with the Whole Booke of Psalms with title page (n.d.) by Sternhold and Hopkins. The title page contains the device of a goose at the foot. Woodcut first chapter initials and decorated head- and tailpieces throughout. This copy was printed in Dordt sometime after 1616.

Collation

[par.]^4, A-Z^8, &^6 (first part: Gen-Job); Aa-Qq^8 (second part: Psalms- Malachi); Aaa-Ppp^8, Qqq^1 (New Testament).
Lacks [par.]2 (the second printed general title with woodcut of the Red Sea).

Binding

Eighteenth-century gilt paneled calf with the initials “W.G.” and “A.T.” on front board. Rebacked in modern brown goatskin with a gilt-lined red label and the words “The Bible That is, the Holy Scrip.” lettered in gilt. Endpapers renewed.

Condition

Rubbed, scuffed to corners; remnants of two small pieces of Scotch tape to upper board; General title page laid down; [par.]3-4 remargined; A1 closed tear to inner column; D2 small lower marginal loss; F2 small burnhole to header; G8 closed tear to upper gutter; Nn3 lower corner loss with a verse of text; a couple of marginal tears; infrequent staining or toning but a very good and clean copy overall.

Note

The nickname ‘Goose Bible’ is derived from the bird in the device to the title page of the Metrical Psalms. This Geneva version, printed in Dordt, is more accurate than the other versions and closely follows the printing of the 1560 first edition Geneva Bible. The majority of Geneva Bibles dated 1599 were printed in Amsterdam after King James banned the printing of the Geneva Bible in 1616 to encourage the production of his sponsored translation. The Geneva Bible remained popular and began to be printed on the continent and imported into England. Archbishop Laud banned the importation of the Geneva Bible into England in the 1630s, forcing printers to add a title page claiming they were printed in London by Christopher Barker in 1599 to continue importation. The popularity of the Geneva Bible remained steadfast for over 100 years, and the vast number of ‘1599’ Geneva Bibles available today serve as clear evidence that the King James Bible did not become the dominant text very quickly.

References

Herbert 255; ESTC 1187; Wilson’s No. 5.