1599 Quarto Illustrated and Pirated Geneva 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 clandestine printing of the Geneva Bible in quarto. Complete Bible text in Roman font with the entire set of Geneva illustrations and maps. A very nice professionally rebound copy with contemporary covers laid down.

Description

The Book of Common Prayer  with title page (1636) featuring an ornamental border and printer’s device. The engraved 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 title page featuring a woodcut of the Red Sea. 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. Apocrypha included from a 1630s King James Bible. Similar New Testament woodcut title page (1599). Concludes with a dated colophon (1599).  Bound with A Briefe Concordance by Clement Cotton with title page (n.d.) with ornamental border and printer’s device. Also bound with the Booke of Psalmes with printed title page (n.d.) by Sternhold and Hopkins. Woodcut first chapter initials and decorated head- and tailpieces throughout. This copy was likely printed in the 1630s in Amsterdam.

Collation

[par.]^4, A-Z^8, &^6 (first part: Gen-Job), Aa-Qq^8 (second part: Psalms- Malachi), Aaa5-8, Bbb-Nnn^8 (Apocrypha), Aaa-Qqq^8, Rrr^8 (New Testament). Complete.

Binding

Recently rebound in dark brown calf. Contemporary covers laid down with panels and corner fleurons tooled in blind. Spine with four blind-lined raised bands and words “Holy Bible” and “1599” lettered in gilt. Plain endpapers. All edges red.  

Condition

Infrequent staining and soiling. BCP with stain to lower outer column which gradually fades away; Psalter with more staining, mostly to margins; the Bible text in particular is very clean with wide margins. A bright and generally crisp copy of a 1599 Geneva Bible.

Note

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 falsely dated title page. The popularity of the Geneva Bible remained steadfast for over three generations, and the vast number of pirated Geneva Bibles available today serve as clear evidence that the King James Bible did not become the dominant text very quickly. This copy was likely smuggled back into England given the presence of the Book of Common Prayer and the Apocrypha which pilgrims or English dissenters were not particularly fond of.

References

Herbert 249; ESTC 2175; Wilson’s No. 5.