An "unrivalled specimen of the press of the time", the finest edition of the Holy Bible then extant (Lowndes).
The Holy Bible. Containing the Bookes of the Old & New Testament. Cambridge: University Press, J. Ogilby, 1660. New Testament dated 1659, John Field, folio.
THE VERY IMPORTANT CAMBRIDGE FOLIO EDITION OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE; THE FINEST EARLY PRODUCTION OF THE KJV, HERE A STUNNING COPY.
-------------------
This is one of the most desirable and valuable editions of the King James Bible, with an incredible production quality and important political motive too, with Solomon seated on the throne on the stunning engraved title page to reflect the 1660 restoration of the monarchy with Charles II. It is for this reason that auction sales records for this edition are almost exclusively above $10,000.
The text was first published the previous year by John Field, printer to the University of Cambridge, and hence the date of 1659 to the New Testament title page. John Field had been commissioned to supply a lectern bible for use in institutional settings (churches and libraries). The work was well-received, with the former university Vice-Chancellor John Worthington saying that '"For a fair large letter, large paper, with fair margin, etc, there was never such a Bible in being".
"Having presented a finely bound copy of this edition to the king on his first coming to the royal chapel at Whitehall, the publisher, Ogilby, was commanded to supply other copies for use in the chapel, closet, library, and council chamber, at a cost of £200. He presented another copy to the House of Commons, for which he received £50”.
This Bible would not have enjoyed widespread use because its size would very likely have confined its serviceability primarily to the church or chapel lectern, very few copies, if any, would have been originally privately owned and as such were typically heavily used. Samuel Pepys makes reference to this edition in his famous diary on 27 May 1667, that he was approached by a bookbinder with quires of Ogilby’s Bible, and although Pepys seems resigned to buying the set, he comments that “it is like to be so big that I shall not use it”.
Most examples have quite a lot of illustrated plates, however this copy has been bound without any of these plates. It is quite probable that this copy is one of the very earliest printings, perhaps a trial copy, especially as it is bound without the Book of Common Prayer and dedication to King Charles II which were known to be added slightly later.
-------------------
Size: 293 x 449 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(3), t.p., ¶⁴-¶¶⁴, A-Z⁶, 2A-2Z⁶, 3A-3L⁵, 3M-3Z⁶, 4A-4Y⁶, 4Z⁸, a-y⁴, A-2E⁸, (3)]
18th century full reverse calf, finely rebacked with replacement tooled title labels reading "Charles II Restoration Bible" and "John Field 1660", presenting very attractively indeed, with commensurate restoration to board edges. Here bound into a single volume rather than the sometimes seen two. The binding is secure with both boards securely attached, without shelf lean. The page block is not sagged despite the very large size. No attached bookplates or ownership inscriptions located, but with a pencil inscription relating to one of Queen Victoria's jubilees to the penultimate leaf in Revelation in the late 19th century.
Collated as complete through all sections, with the Apocrypha appropriately bound between the Old and New Testaments (often found bound at the rear in this edition). Generally exceptionally clean throughout the entire text, a truly remarkably well preserved example 2R1 with minor repair at the foot, the leaf slightly creased, without any loss to the text. Early minor repair to fore-edge of 3L2 affecting two letters of text on the verso but resupplied in a neat manuscript hand. Early repair to the bottom right of 4D3, text legible. Small red marginalia to 3C5, essentially unnoticeable. Leaf y4 is a blank. Minor early fore-edge repair to D4, L6, S6-T1, 2C4 in the New Testament not affecting legibility of text. Leaf R6 has the bottom third replaced with extremely fine early manuscript facsimile such that it's difficult to tell that it has been replaced, truly an exceedingly fine repair which presents as printed text. 2E2-8 (final 6 leaves of the NT) have had the bottom corner finely reinforced with Kozo paper, these last 6 leaves also have some minor dampstaining not affecting the legibility of the text. The full text of the Bible is legible without loss of sense, where letters of text are marginally affected these have been supplemented by hand, e.g. the "th" in "thy". Nonetheless, it is a remarkably well preserved and exceptionally finely restored example of this very important edition, the 1660 Restoration Bible.
An exceptional book.
[Herbert 668; ESTC R17044; Wing B2258; Lowndes 1367; Griffiths 8; D&M 525].
