“…IF EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR LANGUAGE SHOULD PERISH, IT WOULD ALONE SUFFICE TO SHOW THE WHOLE EXTENT OF ITS BEAUTY AND POWER” (MACAULAY): 17TH-CENTURY OXFORD KING JAMES BIBLE AND BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, HANDSOME IN CONTEMPORARY PANELED MOROCCO-GILT
BIBLE. The Holy Bible, Containing the Old Testament and the New. BOUND WITH: The Book of Common Prayer. Oxford: Printed at the Theater and to be sold by Peter Parker, Moses Pitt et al., 1682, 1681. Quarto, contemporary full paneled dark brown morocco gilt rebacked with elaborately gilt-decorated spine laid down, raised bands, marbled endpapers.
17th century Oxford editions of the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer, in distinguished contemporary paneled morocco.
The magisterial King James “Authorized Version” of the Bible (first published 1611) and the eloquent Book of Common Prayer (first published 1549) not only stand together as the twin foundational texts of the Anglican Communion but also endure as inescapable influences on centuries of English literature. Includes Apocrypha. Bible with both general and separate New Testament title pages, bearing royal armorial woodcut; general title page ruled in red. Bound with a contemporary edition of Sternhold and Hopkins’ metrical psalter. Griffiths 1681:9. Darlow & Moule 607. Herbert 771. Wing 2549, 3663E. Small institutional label to first leaf.
With front free endpaper supplied. Text block with occasional light edge-wear. Crease, top corner restoration to prayer book title page. Closed tears to leaves A1, B1-B2 of prayer book restored. Gathering A of Bible (general title page, dedicatory epistle and table of contents) supplied from another contemporary copy. Expert restoration to very handsome elaborately-gilt binding. An excellent Bible in fine contemporary binding.