The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament and the New. Newly translated out of the Original Tongues And with the former Translations diligently Compared and revised by His Majesties Speciall command. Appointed to be read in Churches. Cambridge: John Hayes, 1677, small folio.
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A magnificently bound 17th century King James Bible, printed and bound during the height of the English Restoration, generally regarded as the peak era for English bookbinding, and this finely bound Bible sits right in that era. There are notable similarities in the tooling to both Samuel Mearne and Richard Bartlett bindings. Evidently this just goes to emphasise just how typical a binding of the period this is, and it seems likely that this binding was produced in a London workshop in the circle of those great binders, possibly using some of the same tools.
This edition of the King James Bible itself is also notable, not least for being quite an early printed example, but for being a very early Cambridge edition. This edition was released in two formats, the other was slightly smaller, this being the larger and more luxurious.
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Size: 174 x 237 mm (approx.)
Condition:
Contemporary full red morocco, very finely tooled in gilt to both boards and with repeating motifs in compartments to the spine. Binding rubbed, some loss to the leather, shelf and edge wear, central crack appearing down centre of the spine, but with the binding secure. Joints cracked, boards attached though fragile. Dampstaining, generally mild and affecting margins only, more prominent to the first and last few leaves as pictured, preliminary blank partially loose. Some loss to the foot of the general title leaf, but it is extant and a very nice impression of it. Text block mildly toned, mild spotting, but generally a nicely preserved example.
