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

The famous 1599 quarto Geneva Bible. Complete text in Roman font with the full set of Geneva illustrations and maps. A rebound copy with all title pages, preserving the 18th century calf covered lower board.

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. 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 a later copy of The Psalms of David in Metre and The Booke of Psalmes by Sternhold and Hopkins (n.d.). 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), Aaa-Qqq^8, Rrr^4 (New Testament). Complete with all title pages.

Binding

Rebound in brown paneled calf. Lower board preserved in 18th century mottled calf with the remaining portion in matching brown calf. Front board with the initials “J.M.” tooled in blind. Spine with five blind-lined raised bands and a red morocco label with the words “Holy Bible” and the date of 1599 to bottom of spine lettered in gilt. Endpapers renewed.  

Condition

Occasional light dampstaining; infrequent spotting; both general title pages with tissue repairs to margins, continuing into subsequent two preliminary leaves and the first two leaves of the Bible text; title page of Psalter with repaired closed tear and final leaf repaired to margins; a nice example of the 1599 Geneva Bible with very wide margins.

Provenance

“Alexander Inglis was born October 11 1719” to verso of the title page to the second part and the verso of the new testament title page; “John Inglis dyed December 29 1733… William Robertson Aught This Bible July 2th 1761” to verso of new testament title; William Robertson & Janet Lang was married on July 1766” on verso of final blank leaf.  

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 become the dominant text immediately.

References

Herbert 251; ESTC 2176; Wilson’s No. 1.