AN ORIGINAL ENGLISH BIBLE PRINTED IN 1605 IN A REMARKABLE ORIGINAL METALWORK BINDING WITH CARVED PROTECTIVE MAGIC RUNES AGAINST WITCHES!
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A very rare original 1605 "Breeches" Geneva Bible, so named for the reading in Genesis 3:7 describing Adam and Eve as having made "breeches" to cover their nakedness instead of "aprons" or "loincloths".
This beautiful edition is in its original binding with beautiful early metalwork applied to the boards, also retaining one of the original clasps which retains its functionality. The binding is especially remarkable & important for having carved apotropaic marks, also known as 'witch marks' to the top of both boards in the form of hexafoils, used for the ritual protection against witchcraft and evil spirits. Such marks are very scarcely encountered, especially from during the early modern period at the height of the persecution of witches. It is all the more interesting given that this book was printed and bound right around the time of the writing of Shakespeare's Macbeth and James' increasing social focus on witchcraft.
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Size: 123 x 181 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[A7-A8, B1-G8, K1-T8, Y1-Z8, 2B1-2Y8, [2z1], 2Z2-3K3, 3K5-3M8, a2-a5, pp.1-38, 59-88]
Contemporary full calf binding with contemporary metalwork laid on to the boards. The binding appears to have been rebacked but it is our opinion that this is not a rebacking but is rather the original design of the binding, especially as the leather covering the spine is backed with the contemporary metalwork and the aging is consistent with the rest of the binding, thus it is our opinion that the binding is original to the book and therefore rather remarkable indeed. One clasp is retained and remains functional, the other is now lacking. The remaining clasp is leather overlaid with metalwork which has been engraved as with the rest of the metalwork. Some scratches to the leather of the boards, seemingly intentional (and contemporary), certainly with a magical protective purpose, especially the hexafoil variant rune to the head of both boards, used as a protective rune against witchcraft and evil spirits.
Lacks gatherings h-j, u-x, 2a (fo.55-70, 151-166, 183-190), lacks 3K4, a1 (first leaf of the Psalter at the rear). Lacks pp.39-58 of the Psalter and all after 88. Final Psalm in the Psalter is 139. Heavy staining to the three leaves 2k8-2o2 at the start of the apocrypha, not obscuring the legibility of the text. 2z1 present but torn, lacking approx. 3/4 of the leaf. 3a1 & 3c7 lacking a portion of the upper corner of the leaf, but largely complete. Very erratic pagination throughout as printed. Very early ownership inscription at final leaf of the second table (3M8) dated 1630. Sporadic toning/dampstaining in places, many leaves with marginal losses but mostly not losing any text. Some leaves/gatherings are partially loose in the binding.
