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Full Color Catalogue

ANNOUNCING THE SALE OF A COMPLETE LIBRARY OF EARLY ENGLISH LANGUAGE CATHOLIC EDITIONS OF THE BIBLE: 16^th THROUGH 19^th CENTURIES.

THE ORIGINAL ENGLISH CATHOLIC BIBLE

1582: Rhemes New Testament & 1609-10: Doway Old Testament. First editions, complete copies. Clean interiors except name on NT Title Page, possibly the imprisoned Catholic Recusant priest Thomas Preston, and one small marginal note. NT in wide margined copy with all pages squared on register. Small 4to. Fine binding in full artificially aged leather. Pasteboards (possibly original) in standard English style with no pastedowns. Spine in six blind-tooled panels offset by thick raised bands. OT in two volumes. Scarce copy, complete with final blank in Vol. II. Small 4to. Nearly perfect interiors with wide margins, all pages squared on register and no markings. Later fine full leather blind-tooled bindings with spine in six panels offset by raised bands. All three volumes match exactly in height. A nice, complete set. Herbert 177 & 30

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THE FIRST POCKET EDITION OF THE ENGLISH CATHOLIC NEW

TESTAMENT

1621: Rhemes New Testament. Third edition. First “pocket” edition. Small 12mo. Complete copy with no shaved headlines and no markings beyond an early note on front blank. Somewhat browned. Slight loss due to insect gnawing on upper right corner of first 200 pp. with no loss of text except for a few page numbers. Later vellum binding with spine in four panels offset by raised bands. Paper label. Herbert 382

SECOND COMPLETE ENGLISH CATHOLC BIBLE WITH ILLUSTRATED NEW

TESTAMENT

1633 Rhemes New Testament and 1635 Doway Old Testament. NT called fourth edition. Scarce complete copy with the engraved frontispiece and all seven additional full page engravings. No shaved headlines. Interior somewhat browned. No markings. Later full leather binding with blind tooled covers and spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Small quarto. OT second edition. 2 vols. Very scarce set with both volumes containing engraved frontispieces. No shaved headlines. No markings. Fine later full leather binding with spine in five panels offset by raised bands. All volumes are uniform height. A nice, complete set. Small quarto. Herbert 479 & 499.

“PROHIBITED” EDITION GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

1706:  Gospel of Matthew with translated Quesnel Commentary. This is probably the rarest of all editions in the collection. It contains the first edition in a series of the Four Gospels in the Rhemes Version with added commentary from Pasquier Quesnel's Reflexions Morales sur le Nouveau Testament translated into English. The “T.W.”initials on the title page refer to Thomas Whetenhall, editor of the work. Quesnel's book was condemned by Pope Clement XI by a decree in 1708, and later by the famous Bull Unigenitus dei filius of 1713. The works of Thomas Whetenhall and the editors of the remaining Gospels were suppressed as a result, as indicated by the “Prohibited” designation at the top of The Title page; and copies of all the volumes in this series are now scarce.

PRE-CHALLONER REVISION OF THE RHEMES NEW TESTAMENT

1730 Witham New Testament: First edition. 2 vols. 8vo. in full blind tooled polished calf. Spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Front covers starting but holding firmly. Cosmetic repairs to upper headcaps. Browning to interior, esp. endsheets. Light pencil notes to Vol. I endsheet. Otherwise both volumes free of marking. Leather gilt spine labels. Herbert 1009. Cotton p. 41.

CHALLONER’S COMPLETE REVISION OF THE DOUAY RHEIMS BIBLE IN 5 VOLUMES

1750:  First edition of Challoner’s Old Testament revision. Unusual set with his scarce New Testament revision published in the same year (1750) rather than the one published later (1752), normally found with this set (see Herbert 1089). Five volumes finely bound in matching full blind tooled leather with spines in six panels offset by raised bands. Endpapers and titles soiled in some volumes but overall, a clean, crisp set. Herbert 1089.

THE “CROWN JEWEL” OF THE COLLECTION: MATHEW CAREY’S FIRST AMERICAN CATHOLIC BIBLE OF 1790.

1790:  Doway Bible.  “…now the rarest of the notable early American editions of the Bible,” according to Hills.  This is the first Catholic Bible printed in America and the first in the quarto format. It is now the most financially valuable English language Catholic Bible of all time. Listed among the subscribers ate two signers of the Declaration of Independence: Charles Carroll and Dr. Benjamin Rush.

Later full leather binding artificially patinated for a period style. Two volumes bound into one. Collates complete except for 2 blank leaves between Vol. I and Vol.II and one blank after Table of Epistles and Gospels. All preliminary and terminal leaves present, although the Subscriber List is inserted at the end rather that in the preliminary section. Fading to mottled fore-edge. Initial at the lower margin of page [177] slightly shaved. Page 343 has a taped repair with text barely showing underneath. Pages 465-466 has small marginal tear with slight loss of text and a few other leaves with small clean repaired tears. Considerable age spotting to interior, but leaves are crisp.

Herbert 1343 & Hills 23.

SCARCE THIRD PRINTING OF THE ORIGINAL DOWAY OLD TESTAMENT

1788-1793: Doway Bible. Very scarce and little-known small folio edition of the complete Bible with the Old Testament in the original Doway Version with modern orthography. Title page dated 1793. Bound with the 1788 edition of the Rhemes New Testament containing a reprint of the Challoner-Blyth text. Both testaments have the same type and layout and were apparently meant to be bound together, although the 1788 NT was usually issued separately. Small folio. Apparent original half leather binding with spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Engraved frontispiece to OT mounted. NT has engraved frontispiece and four full page engravings of the Evangelists. Herbert 1330 & 1375

DR. TROY’S BIBLE

1791: Doway Bible. Called fifth edition. Actually considered the first edition of the Doway Bible published as a single volume and of Challoner’s revision by Rev. Bernard McMahon, the so-called “Dr. Troy’s Bible,” from the bishop providing the approbation. Quarto. Later fine full leather binding with tooled covers and spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Inscriptions on preliminary blank and upper margin of title page, but no other markings. Complete. Endpapers renewed. Engraved frontispieces to each testament. Cotton p. 202

THE FIRST ENGLISH CATHOLIC BIBLE IN FOLIO

1794: Doway Bible: First folio edition of the Doway Bible, and the one used as a basis fo the later Haydock series of Bibles. Later fine full leather binding with blind tooled covers and paneled spine with raised bands and gilt label. Frontispieces to each testament with an additional nine full page engravings. This edition was the basis for the famed Haydock series of Bibles published throughout the 19^th century. Interior browned. OT frontispiece mounted and repaired. Endpapers renewed. Herbert 1385

RECENTLY DISCOVERED EARLY RHEMES NEW TESTAMENT

1794 Rhemes Testament: Very scarce item, not listed in Herbert or Cotton. 12mo. Full original binding, intact but heavily worn. Preserved in fine, full leather case. Title page loose and torn at base with some loss, but no loss of text; has signature at top of Rev. Ignatius Horstmann, Bishop of Cleveland. Heavily browned. Internally lacking pp. 177-180 and 271-274 and flyleaves. Unreported edition.

AMERICAN MATHEW CAREY DOWAY BIBLE

1805 Doway Bible: Pioneering Irish-American Catholic publisher’s second edition of the Douay Rheims Bible translated from the Latin Vulgate and using the 1791 Dublin edition as its basis. A substantial quarto volume (9 x 11 ) bound in later full calf with spine in six panels offset by raised bands and a gilt label. Binding is period-correct with artificially aged patina. Herbert 1481. This is the scarce first variant in O Callaghan, p. 75, with the added Instructions to Binder. Complete except for plate No. 6 and the final leaf of tables, both replaced in expert facsimile. Considerable browning and spotting to text; some leaves have fraying at margins, sometime slightly affecting text. One leaf has lower third replaced in facsimile, another has lower right corner replaced in facsimile, and another has tear with loss of about one inch of text. Several paper repairs including recornering. Pastedowns and EP’s soiled. Title page mounted and remargined with loss of letters “ct” in “Oct.” No markings or underlining. E-mail for more pictures. 772; 214 pp. plus tables. Herbert 1481; Hills 120; O’Callaghan 1805 Bible #1.

FIRST AMERICAN SEPARATE NEW TESTAMENT

1805 RHEMES TESTAMENT: Quarto. The separately published New Testament to the above Bible. Very scarce variant with added Subscriber list not called for in O,Callaghan. Complete in all respects, including all ten full page plates and three maps (including two fold-outs). Important provenance from a prominent early Maryland family with the husband and wife's handwritten names on the Family Page. Laid in is material from the auction sale of their portraits and biographical material. This is a large quarto volume: (7) (214) (6) pp. Original covers, re-spined and re-cornered with matching leather. New red leather gilt label. Covers rubbed. Upper and lower corners of first family leaf replaced in facsimile. Several expertly mended marginal clean tears. Fold-out maps creased and frayed at edges. Browning and occasional spotting throughout text. Four pages have ink "x" marks at ends of chapters. Hills 126; O’Callaghan 1805 NT 1.

SCARCE VARIANT OF 1810 CHALLONER-MACMAHON NEW TESTAMENT

1810 Rhemes New Testament: 12mo. Full leather with original covers and paneled spine replaced in matching leather with raised bands and new gilt label. Variant with Wogan rather than Fitzpatrick shown as publisher. Browned interior. Inscription and library stamp on fep. Complete including errata leaf. Herbert 1538 variant publisher.

FIRST EDITION OF THE FAMED HAYDOCK BIBLE

1811 Douay Bible: Large thick folio. First edition of the Haydock series of Bibles with earliest title pages: Vol. I dated 1811; Vol. II dated 1814 and the NT title dated 1812. Seminal edition of what would become the most important English Catholic Bible in the English-speaking world during the entire 19^th century, and would be used in the inaugurations of both America’s Catholic Presidents. Full leather binding with later matching paneled spine offset by raised bands and a gilt label. Complete except for the final map leaf. Includes all full page engravings plus 3 ½ foot fold out sheet. Browned ep’s but overall clean interior with no markings. Herbert 1590.

FOLIO DOWAY BIBLE: COMPETITOR TO HAYDOCK’S FOLIO

1813 Doway Bible: Scarce and little known edition of the Bible issued by Thomas Haydock’s fellow Manchester Catholic publisher Oswald Syers. Issued at approximately the same time, it was outclassed by Haydock’s edition and copies are now rarely seen. Large folio in full leather with early mottled calf covers and later sympathetic spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Full page plates with some offsetting. Overall clean with no writing. Herbert 1579.

FIRST EDITION OF THE “CATHOLIC BOARD” RHEIMS NEW TESTAMENT

1815 Rheims New Testament: Octavo. First edition of the “Catholic Board Testament” produced for a group of Cisalpine Catholics which desired a Testament to be produced for cheap distribution to the poor. This is a “Large Paper” copy in its original fine leather binding with gilt tooled boards and paneled ornate spine, apparently intended for founders. Slight cracking at top & base of upper board. Owner’s inscription on fep. Bright and crisp interior. Herbert 1617 Var. A.:Large paper.

1818 RHEMES NEW TESTAMENT WITH WITHAM ANNOTATIONS

1816 Beegan’s Rhemes New Testament: 4to. Unusual edition featuring annotations by Rev. Robert Witham, who has published his own revision of the Rhemes New Testament in 1738. This was soon surpassed in popularity by the Challoner Revisions of 1749-52. Binding cloth, a little worn, esp. at extremities. Frontispiece plus four full page engraved plates. Interior browned, but with leaves crisp. All edges gilt. 491 pp. Herbert 1648.

FIRST EDITION OF SCRIPTURE PUBLISHED IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL

1817 Rhemes New Testament: Thick 12mo. Scarce first edition of Scripture published in the nation’s capital (Georgetown declared part of the Federal District in 1801). Original full sheep binding heavily worn with chipping of upper and lower parts of spine. Nicely preserved in leather case. Interior heavily browned and stained; some leaves protruding slightly at the fore-edge. Complete copy. Herbert 1669.

CONTROVERSIAL IRISH RHEMES NEW TESTAMENT WITH ORIGINAL 16^TH

CENTURY ANNOTATIONS

1818 Rheims New Testament: Quarto. Controversial separately published New Testament from a complete Bible of the same year. Published when the struggle for Catholic Emancipation was at its height, this edition fanned the flames of controversy by repeating the strongly worded annotations from the original Rhemes NT of 1582, rather than the more widely accepted Challoner annotations. Original gilt and blind tooled leather covers with later matching paneled spine with raised bands and new gilt label. Covers worn. Library stamps on reverse side of frontis. and title page. General browning of leaves with offsetting from plates. Pencil mark is on reverse of one plate. 22 full page plates include some from the recently published Haydock Bible plus 2 full page maps. 3 plates with trimmed margins. Includes an abundance of supplementary material including Ward’s Errata of the Protestant Bible. NT from complete Bible, Cotton p. 210.

THE FIRST “NOTELESS” RHEMES NEW TESTAMENT

1820:  First edition of the Rhemes New Testament to appear without any note or comment. It was a cooperative effort by Catholics and Protestants, who objected to the usual notes, for general distribution at low prices. This is the scarce first edition with the title page showing the publisher’s Parliament Street address and dated 1820 and with a pasted in sheet with Approbation and Papal statement. Copies continued to appear for many years, with the title page undated and showing the publisher’s Capel Street address (see Herbert 1690 & 1691). Bound in cloth with head and tail caps frayed. Pasted in sheet somewhat damaged. Otherwise a clean crisp interior. Herbert 1690.

FIRST STEREOTYPED CATHOLIC BIBLE PUBLISHED IN AMERICA

1824 Doway Bible: The first Catholic Bible published in the USA under the new stereotype process. A highly successful edition, it had many reprints into the 1860’s. Possibly from inexperience with the new procedure, the earlier editions have two different type sizes. After completing the Old Testament through Esther in one size, a slightly larger size is used and the pagination sequence restarted at “1.” Later editions use the smaller size throughout. This copy is the variant with a frontispiece date 1827 with the words “from the Original Tongues” rather than “from the Latin Vulgate” usually appearing on Catholic Bibles of this period.

Original sheep binding, worn, scuffed, and with tender front hinge and repaired separated rear hinge. Interior with usual browning and foxing, but no writing or underlining. Comes with form-fitted full leather case featuring blind-tooled covers and gilt spine in five panels with raised bands.

FIRST AMERICAN HAYDOCK BIBLE & ONLY FOLIO CATHOLIC BIBLE EVER

PUBLISHED IN AMERICA. STUNNING BINDING

1825 Doway Bible: Folio. First American edition of the Haydock Bible and the only folio Catholic Bible published in America. Later fine extra-binding in red Morocco with ornately gilt and blind-tooled bevel-edged front cover and paneled spine. 20 full page plates including frontispieces to each testament. plus 3 ½ foot foldout sheet. General browning and spotting to interior with offsetting from plates. Light remnant of library stamp on general title. Hills 518.

FIRST CUMMISKY QUARTO BIBLE

1825 Doway Bible: First edition of this publisher’s quarto series of Bibles that would remain in print through many reprints for most of the rest of the century. Quarto. Full leather binding with original cross-hatch tooled covers and matching ornately gilt paneled spine. Frontispiece plus three full page engraved plates. Reinforced inner hinges. Browned interior, but overall clean with no markings. Hills 527.

FIRST EDITION OF THE MURRAY BIBLE

1825 Douay Bible: First edition of the “Murray Bible” named for the Bishop giving its approbation. Reprinted in several editions. Variant with Dublin and London imprints. Thick octavo. All edged gilt. Fine original Morocco leather binding with gilt tooled coves and ornately paneled spine. Somewhat worn. Light browning and occasional spotting to interior and owner’s inscription on fep. Otherwise clean interior with no markings. Cotton p. 214. Var. with London imprint.

FIRST AMERICAN POCKET EDITION OF THE RHEMES NEW TESTAMENT

1829 Rheims New Testament: Unique tiny (4” x 2 ½”) pocket New Testament, the first such American edition. Browning to interior, owner’s inscription to fep, otherwise no markings. Later full leather binding with paneled spine and new gilt leather label. Hills 697.

THE DEVEREAUX NEW TESTAMENT PUBLISHED FOR CATHOLIC

SCHOOLCHILDREN. TWO COPIES

1833 Rheims New Testament: 12mo. A printing of the Utica Testament series, the most frequently reprinted NT edition of the 19^th century. Later full leather binding with paneled spine and red leather label. Light browning to interior. Hills 847

1835 Rheims New Testament: Very scarce edition of the Utica NT series not mentioned in Hills or O’Callaghan. 12mo. Original paper boards, worn at extremities. Browning to interior. Var TP design of Hills 759.

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PROTESTANT EDITION ATTACKING CATHOLIC NEW TESTAMENT

1834 Rheims New Testament: Octavo. Controversial Protestant edition advising how to “understand genuine popery.” Text of the original 1582 edition. Later cloth with facsimile paper label. Light foxing to preliminary leaves. Generally clean interior. Herbert 1893; Hills 881.

RARE SCOTTISH EDITION OF THE DOUAY BIBLE

1835 Douay Bible: Octavo. First thus, a Scottish edition later appearing in America. Half leather binding with original ornate gilt paneled spine relaid and new gilt label. Front interior hinge split but holding firmly. Marbled end papers. Browned interior, especially title page; also repaired at margins. Cotton, p. 215 (Glasgow edition).

EARLY AMERICAN RHEIMS NEW TESTAMENT

1840 Rheims New Testament: First edition of Cummiskey’s 12mo. New Testament. Later full leather binding preserving original gilt label over paneled spine. Clean interior. Hills 1087

FIRST SADLIER QUARTO EDITION

1844 Douay Bible: First edition, first state of the Sadlier quarto series with the Carmine Street address shown on title pages of both testaments. Original ornate gilt covers somewhat faded with later matching spine in six panels offset by raised bands and gilt label. All edges gilt. Considerable browning to interior. Hills 1249. Earlier variant with Carmine St. address.

FIRST QUARTO HAYDOCK BIBLE

1845 Douay Bible: First edition, first state of the first Haydock Bible published in the quarto format. Two vols bound into one. All the earliest title pages: 1845 (Vol. I), 1847 (Vol II) & 1848 (NT). Later half leather binding with marbled boards and leather corner pieces. Spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Browning to interior, esp. plates. Herbert 1855.

SCARCE EARLY AMERICAN DOUAY BIBLE NOT IN HILLS: FINE BINDING

1847 Douay Bible. Large (Imperial) 8vo. in full blind and gilt tooled leather. Spine in six panels offset by raised bands. All edges in bright gilt. Colored and printed titles to each testament. Notes in ink & pencil on front ep. Occasional spotting to plates. Overall very clean interior.

GIANT FOLIO DOUAY BIBLE

Ca. 1847 Douay Bible: The success of Haydock’s folio Bible was soon noticed by a Protestant publishing firm in Liverpool and later in London. In 1816, Nuttall, Fisher and Dixon began issuing a series of folio Douay Bibles, also very successful and continuing to appear through the 1840’s. These editions featured more and better quality engraved illustrations, but did not contain the Haydock annotations. Fine gilt and blind tooled binding with spine in six ornate gilt panels offset by raised bands. 32 large finely engraved plates. Lower end of front cover beginning to separate but neatly repaired. Cotton 214.

FIRST EDITION OF KENRICK’S GOSPELS

1849 Kenrick Gospels: First edition of the first volume of the Kenrick Bible. 8vo. Later half-leather binding with marbled boards. Title page neatly repaired with no loss of text. Endpapers renewed. Foldout map browned. Otherwise, clean interior. Herbert 1873; Hills 1414.

FIRST DUNIGAN QUARTO EDITION

1852 Douay Bible: First edition, first state of Dunigan’s quarto Haydock Bible with earliest title pages dated 1852 (Vol. I), 1854 (NT). A frequently-reprinted edition, and the exemplar used for modern reproductions. Contains unique changes to NT renderings. Fine extra-gilt covers and spine relaid with original gilt panels except for gilt title labels. Inner gilt dentelles; all edges gilt. Soiling to preliminary leaves and light browning to remainder. Hills 1485.

THE THREE SHILLING BIBLE

1857 Douay Bible. Published in Ireland during a period of intense controversy over the Bible. Protestant Bible Societies wanted to convince the “ignorant Papists of Ireland” that only the Protestant version of the Bible was correct. This edition was produced by Catholics with the title on the spine clearly stating it had the “Approbation of the Bishops and Archbishops of Ireland” and was cheaply priced for as wide a circulation as possible. Considerable wear and staining to binding. Octavo cloth with gilt stamped spine. Front ep. has inked inscription; otherwise unmarked. Printed general title lacking. Engraved title has offsetting from engraved frontispiece. Occasional foxing to interior.

THE “SECOND SPRING EDITION OF HAYDOCK’S DOUAY BIBLE

1874 Douay Bible: Extra bound 2-volume set of large (Imperial) quarto volumes. Haydock’s annotations updated in light of later Bible scholarship by Second Spring Catholic converts Oakeley and Law. First state with Fr. Law’s name still included on title page. Ornate extra-gilt covers and spines in six gilt panels offset by raised bands. Full page engraved plates. Gilt inner dentelles; all edges gilt. Interior clean and bright. Pope, p. 677 (#20).

PLUS TWO EARLY FRENCH EDITIONS

1810 French New Testament: First NT in French published in America and the first edition of Scripture to contain the Imprimatur of an American Bishop. Octavo. Title page repaired with slight loss of text. Full leather binding with original covers and replacement matching paneled spine salvaging original leather label. Two vols. bound into one with separate title pages. Browning to interior. No markings. Includes Errata leaf at end. O’Callaghan p. 102 (#4).

FIRST CATHOLIC NEW TESTAMENT PUBLISHED IN CANADA

1846 French New Testament: First Catholic edition of Scripture published in Canada (Quebec). Unique French translation. Later half leather binding with marbled boards, leather corner pieces and gilt labels. Fep frayed at edge with loss of some family record. Title page creased and frayed with no loss of text. Interior browned. No other markings. D & M 3903.

PLUS FIRST EDITIONS OF IMPORTANT BIBLE BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Historical Catalogue of Printed Editions of Holy Scripture in the  Library of The British and Foreign Bible Society, Two Volumes in Four Parts,The Bible House, London, 1903-1911.

Original edition of the most  comprehensive accounting of Bibles and portions thereof in all the languages of  the world.  The first volume (English  editions) was updated in 1968.  However,  the remainder has never been surpassed and remains a standard reference  work.  Compilers of this extensive list were Darlow & Moule. This is one of 450 copies for sale  and is signed by T.H. Darlow, one of the compilers.  It is finely printed with title pages in red  and black, and type standing slightly above the level of the paper.  Four large quarto volumes with interior in excellent  condition virtually unread with no markings, underlinings or highlighting.  Title pages to parts III and IV have neat  perforated library stamps not affecting text. Original blue cloth covers partially abraded at edges; new matching  spines gilt-stamped; endpapers renewed.  Top  edges gilt; lower edges Nice complete set.

DEFINITIVE EARLY AMERICAN BIBLE BIBLIOGRAPHY

1861 First edition O’Callaghan Lg. 4to. Original 1861 edition and often reprinted. Classic work of American Bibliography with detailed descriptions of early American editions of Scripture by Dr. Edmund Nailey O’Callaghan (1797-1880). A work this detailed has never been done since, making it a definitive reference in its field. Includes detailed table of errors and variant readings of editions of the Douay Bible. Later half Morocco binding with spine in six panels offset by raised bands. Gilt label. Marbled endpapers. TP in red and black. Wide margined quarto (10” x 7”) making this copy significantly larger and distinctive from its later reprints. Leather corners worn with some loss. Inner hinges repaired. Mild yellowing to interior.

EARLY COMPREHENSIVE ENGLISH CATHOLIC BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cotton, Rev. Henry, Rhemes and Doway, an Attempt to Shew what Has Been Done by Roman Catholics for the Diffusion of the Holy Scriptures in English, Oxford, 1855.

First edition of this classic work with detailed bibliographic and historical information about early editions of the English Catholic Bible. Actual first edition, not a reprint. Later full leather blind tooled binding with spine in six panels offset by raised bands and gilt leather label. Library marks on title, otherwise clean unmarked interior.

BONUS PREMIUM: THE MOST IMPORTANT LEAF FROM THE ORIGINAL 1611 KING JAMES BIBLE IN ATTRACTIVE LEATHER FOLIO

THE ORIGINAL “HE” LEAF: THE HOLY BIBLE CONTEYNING THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW APPOINTED TO BE READ IN CHURCHES. IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY ROBERT BARKER, PINTED TO THE KING’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE. ANNO, DOM. 1611.

The most sought after of all leaves of the original King James Bible, the one which definitively establishes the original 1611 edition and distinguishes it from all later printings: folio Bb2, the leaf with the “he” reading in Ruth 3:15. This is the original large folio leaf fully authenticated and removed from a defective copy, neatly mounted and framed beside the comparable leaf with the “she” reading from a later printing. The “he” leaf has good margins and is clean with no markings, except for the pencil authentication signature of Dr. Donald Brake, author of the 2011 worldwide census of editions of the original “he” printing. The frames are mounted so they can be turned over, revealing the opposite side: the title page of census of First Samuel. Laid in is an additional bonus “she” leaf with other slight variations. Finely bound in full blind and gilt tooled leather.

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PRICE: $165,000. BROKERS WELCOME

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