Lot 154
Bible; English; Authorised Version
The Holy Bible, containing the Old Testament and the New
Auction: 16 June 2026 from 10:00 BST
Description
Newly Translated out of the Orignall Tongue and with the Former Translations diligently ompared [sic] and revised. By his Majesties Speciall Commandement. London: Bonham Norton [-Robert Barker] and John Bill, printers to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie, 1619-20. 4to in eights (21.1 x 15.4cm), 18th-century blue calf, smooth spine ruled and lettered in gilt, gilt frames to covers, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, collation A ²A B-3S8, retaining the general and New Testament title-pages, each comprising letterpress title within cordiform panel surrounded by woodcut portraits of the Apostles and symbols of Old Testament prophets, main text in black letter, printed in two columns, woodcut initials, typographic fleuron beside title of each book, various ownership inscriptions (see below), a few marginal annotations, small worm-track to spine, bound without quire G (end of Leviticus to beginning of Numbers), replaced with 9 leaves from a contemporary edition apparently of the Geneva version (signed G3-8 and H1-3, also in black letter in two columns, but the leaves foliated and the headlines without rules), with all text retained, also without quire 3H, but this apparently not called for, the text continuous, contents browned, a few old marks and stains, closely trimmed along top edge often cropping rule above headline, and a few individual headlines (e.g. in the Apocrypha), general title-page with restored loss to top margin just touching woodcut border, and repairs to lower and fore margins, New Testament title-page with repaired closed tear, further repairs to ²A2, X8, 2X7-8, 3B5, 3M4, and 3R6, bound with Speed's Genealogies at front (possibly lacking the last 2 leaves, containing the description of Canaan with woodcut map), and Two Right Profitable and Fruitfull Concordances (Bonham Norton, and John Bill, 1619, lacking B7) at rear [Herbert 365]
Provenance
W. H. Havergal (1793-1870), clergyman and hymnwriter (his ownership inscription, 'W. H. Havegal, Rector of Astley, 1840' to front free endpaper); various other ownership inscriptions including William Batten, 1659 to New Testament title-page verso.
Footnote
An early black-letter quarto edition of the Authorised Version. ‘No doubt many of these Bibles were issued in a mixed state. It is practically impossible to distinguish between all the various editions’ (Herbert).