1611 King James Bible – 1640/39 the Fifth in the Series of 59-line Folios

The Holy Bible: containing the Old Testament, and the New. Newly translated out of the originall Tongues: And with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, by his Majesties Speciall commandement.

Summary

The last of the 1611 King James pulpit folios with 59-lines to the column. Complete preliminaries with Calendar and Almanac printed in red and black. The Bible text is complete, and each chapter begins with a woodcut initial. Most consider the fifth folio the finest in the series of pulpit folios (Brake 201).

Description

General title page (1640) featuring the Tetragrammaton above, the Agnus Dei and the Holy Dove, with Matthew and Mark on either side; on the left side are the tents of the twelve tribes and on the right side the twelve apostles; below the letterpress are the Lamb slain along with Luke and John and a the bottom a tablet with the word Cum Privilegio. Preliminaries include the Translators to the Reader (11 pp.); Kalendar in red and black (6 ff.); Almanack (1 p.) in red and black; The Table and Kalendar Expressing the order of the Psalms and Lessons… (5 pp.); The Names of all the Books… in red and black (1 pp.). Text in two column black letter. Presented within ruled border and 59 lines to the column. Each chapter begins with a woodcut initial. Headlines, chapter contents, marginal references, and words not in the original, are printed in italics. The fifth folio also improved upon previous versions by adding alternate readings, which were placed in the margins in Roman type. New Testament title page (1639) present and with similar design as the general title. Many headpieces, vignettes, and decorated initials throughout.

Collation

A-B^4 , C^6, D^4 (prelims); A-Z^6, Aa-Zz^6, Aaa-Zzz^6, Aaaa-Zzzz^6, Aaaaa-Zzzzz^6, Aaaaaa-Dddddd^6 (Bible text). 732 ff. Complete.

Binding

Professionally rebound in black-paneled calf. Covers with gilt-tooled and blind-rolled centerpiece design featuring fleurons at corners. Spine with five raised bands with elaborate gilt-tooling and blind-stamping to compartments. Two red gilt ruled labels with the words “Holy Bible” and “1640/39.” New plain endpapers.

Condition

Thick paper with good margins throughout. General tile page laid down with small loss to corners and slight chip to upper edge. A2 of prelims with some closed tears and paper repairs without loss; A-C (prelims-Exodus) with marginal staining, at first more prevalent but gradually improving; Ll6 three-inch closed tear without loss; New Testament title page with very light staining; Ss1 small piece torn off reducing side note verso; Zzzzz3-4 repair to upper fore-edge reducing headlines; Aaaaaa4, Bbbbbb1 remargined; Bbbbbb2-6 remargined with occasional loss of side notes but not impacting text; Dddddd6 recornered, lightly stained. The small above-mentioned faults notwithstanding, this is a very nice copy of the large black letter folio with crisp pages and good margins.   

Note

The 1611 King James Bible was printed in a 59-line folio format in 1611, 1613, 1617, 1634, and in 1640/39. The 1611 He Bible constituted a distinct edition with the reading “and hee went into the citie” in Ruth 3:15. The second edition She Bible was printed in subsequent years with the variant “and she went into the citie.” The second edition is frequently found in a variant state with leaves mixed in from different years. It is likely that the bulk of the sheets were printed in 1613 and stacked in the printing house with She Bibles gathered together as orders came in. Thus, while the date is 1640 on the general title page, the bulk of the leaves could have been printed as early as 1613.

References

Herbert 543; USTC 3021270; ESTC S90554; Drake, Donald. A Visual History of the English Bible, p. 201.