Bassandyne Bible
£2,200
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photography
Auction: 17 May 2017 at 12:00 BST
Description
[The Bible and Holy Scriptures... Edinburgh: Alexander Arbuthnot [and Thomas Bassandyne], 1579.] Small folio, one map of Canaan only, lacking one map and one plan, woodcut illustrations throughout, inscribed Wm M? on free endpaper verso dated February 22nd 1892, 16th or early 17th century embossed panelled calf and banded spine, title-page lacking and substituted with late 19th century replacement, lacking all leaves before ai (i.e. title and 9 leaves), xvi-z8 lacking (i.e. final 15 leaves), foxing, significant repairs to all leaves up to dv with some loss to text to initial leaves in particular, final 2 leaves of the New Testament repaired with some significant loss, soiling and other repairs with some throughout, some text obscured, a few small holes, including wormholes, throughout with some loss to text, some dampstaining, upper cover detached, lower joints split, covers and spine worn [ESTC S122098; Darlow & Moule (Rev. 1968), 158]
Footnote
Provenance: Inscription to final leaf of Revelation reads: "This buik apperteins to Johne Duncane"; Sir William Fettes Douglas, sold as lot 399 in the sale of his books on 7th December 1891; Ownership signature of John Glasse, Reverend of Greyfriars Tolbooth & Highland Kirk, Edinburgh, to endpaper verso beneath inscription; thence by descent.
Note: Known as the 'Bassandyne Bible', after the Edinburgh printer Thomas Bassandyne, this was "the first complete Bible to be printed in Scotland" [http://www.nls.uk/collections/rare-books/collections/bibles]. Bassandyne had produced the New Testament in 1576, the title-page bearing this date, and following his death in 1577, the Old Testament was added and the complete work published by Alexander Arbuthnot in 1579.