1629 Folio First King James Bible printed at Cambridge

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 command.

Summary

The FIRST EDITION of the King James Version printed at Cambridge. A small folio with complete Bible text expertly rebound in a contemporary style calf. Bound with an incomplete Book of Common Prayer and Psalter.

Description

The Book of Common Prayer begins with the Morning Prayers and is lightly stained to the upper inner column and gutter (mostly to margins). Lacks the engraved general title, but the Bible text is complete. Text in two column Roman font. Includes Apocrypha as issued. Printed New Testament title within ruled border (1629). Ends on the colophon (1629). The Whole Book of Psalms with title page (1629). The Psalter lacks the last few leaves. First chapter decorated initials, head- and tailpieces, and colophons throughout.

Collation

[par]^6, A-Z^6, Aa-ZZ^6, Aaa-Iii^6, Kkk4, Lll-Zzz^6, Aaaa^6, Bbbb^4. Bible text complete. Lacks general title.

Binding

Rebound in very nice dark brown calf. Boards feature concentric blind rolled frames. Spine with five blind ruled raised bands and blind tooling to compartments. The words “Holy Bible” tooled in gilt and the date “1629” tooled in gilt to the spine. Plain endpapers.

Condition

Good margins throughout. Most of the tears described below are marginal and minimal. There is infrequent staining in places and slightly more staining to the first few leaves of Genesis. The Book of Common Prayer lacks all before the Morning Prayers, with the first leaf mounted. A2-3, D5, H6, K6, P5, Ff3, Hh1-2, Qq6, Aaa, Lll3-4, Ppp1, Ppp6, Xxx3-4, Zzz6 with marginal closed tears that have been repaired; Mmm2 (Mat 18) with stain to 20% of text not impacting readability; Cc6 scribbling to fore-edge margin; Hh3-4, Nn1 small open marginal tear repaired with tissue paper; Zz1 (first page of Apocrypha) remargined; Qqq3-5 light stain to majority of text not impacting readability; Ttt6 repair to bottom margin; Bbb3 (Rev 21) with loss of few verses, on the recto of this leaf the Cambridge Alma Mater has been removed.

Note

A great deal of work went into the first Cambridge edition and this Bible was printed on as many as seven different types of paper. A complete examination of the King James Bible text against the original languages took place as Cambridge sought to establish itself as a printing house.

A nice 1629 first edition Cambridge folio Bible.

References

Herbert 424; STC 2285; McMullin issue A.