1599 Illustrated Geneva Bible in Contemporary Binding

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. Complete text in Roman font with the full set of Geneva illustrations and maps. Bound with the complete Metrical Psalter in an attractive period binding.

Description

The composite general 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. A second general title page with small woodcut of the Red Sea. Text in two column Roman font containing Tomson’s New Testament and Junius’ Revelation. The entirely of the text is surrounded by black rules. Complete set of Geneva illustrations and maps. Title to the Second Part (n.d.) with decorated headpiece. Issued without Apocrypha. Concludes with a dated colophon (1599). Bound with The Booke of Psalmes with printed title page. Woodcut first chapter initials and decorated head- and tailpieces throughout. This copy was likely printed in the 1630s in Amsterdam.

Collation

A^8, A-Z^8, &^6 (first part: Gen-Job), Aa-Qq^8 (second part: Psalms- Malachi), Aaa-Qqq^8, Rrr^4 (New Testament). Complete.

Binding

Contemporary black morocco. Covers with gilt rolled paneled border featuring corner fleurons. Spine with five raised bands and elaborate gilt-tooling to compartments. Marbled endpapers. all edges gilt.

Condition

Text is overall quite clean with good margins; D1 (Ex 14) piece torn away in upper corner with about 20 lines of text loss; S5 closed tear into text without loss; Aaa2 (Map before Matthew) with closed tear, repaired with loss of a few letters.

Provenance

Note to front endpaper reads “Theodore Townson Churton from his loving father. Icklesham April 24th, 1871” with “Teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Ps. XC. 12.” Not to rear endpaper reads “Madam Coe given to reading in the kitchen for the good of her servants if they will but take it. 1758.”

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 254; STC 2178; Lea Wilson’s 78.