Embroidered Binding

Bible in English [Geneva Version]. The Bible, that is, The holy Scriptures conteined in the Olde and Newe Testament. London [probably Amsterdam]: Deputies of Christopher Barker, 1599

8vo (8 5/8 x 6 3/8 in.; 220 x 162 mm). Additional title within elaborate woodcut border (repeated for New Testament), letterpress title with woodcut vignette, additional title for the Psalmes, half-page and column-width woodcut text illustrations, woodcut music in Psalms, woodcut head- and tail-pieces; a few leaves lightly browned or spotted, fore-margin cut short occasionally touching sidenotes, dampstain in outer portion of last quire, 18c bibliographic note on blank leaf separating the Testaments. Early 18th-century English embroidered binding in silk and boullion with silver thread, grape design within border and panels of red, green, blue mustard and pink, with small brass disk ornaments; spine and outer frame worn with loss of color and thread, edges torn. In a green cloth drop-box.

Margaret Chelmeley (inscription on second endleaf) — Florence Foerderer Tonner (bookplate, purchased from Charles Sessler, Philadelphia)

Herbert 248; STC 2499 (with 'C' of C1 under 'e' of "heard")

a few leaves lightly browned or spotted, fore-margin cut short occasionally touching sidenotes, dampstain in outer portion of last quire, 18c bibliographic note on blank leaf separating the Testaments. Early 18th-century English embroidered binding in silk and boullion with silver thread, grape design within border and panels of red, green, blue mustard and pink, with small brass disk ornaments; spine and outer frame worn with loss of color and thread, edges torn. In a green cloth drop-box.
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A charming example of an English embroidered binding.

The Barker 1599 Bibles were printed for English use in the Low Countries and exhibit several variations which show that most were printed later in Amsterdam and Dort. The present copy, exhibiting all the errors listed in Herbert (248), was probably printed in Amsterdam in 1599 and represents the earliest version. The metrical psalms, bound at the end without imprint, is the first in a series of seven editions issued with the 1599 Bible, which STC attributes to 1617-1640.