The Bible,

woodcut illustrations and maps

An intriguing quarto edition of the Geneva Bible, one of a number published under a false imprint in the Low Countries during the first half of the seventeenth century.

The text follows Laurence Tomson's (1539-1608) revision of the New Testament, but adopts the Huguenot divine Francois du Jon's (Franciscus Junius) translation of Revelation. They were likely printed for use by English Puritans resident on the continent, and were apparently the first Bibles printed in English to omit the Apocrypha.

4to (22.5 x 17.5 cm); published without the Apocrypha, numerous woodcut illustrations and maps, woodcut initials, head and tailpieces, Roman type, lacking woodcut general title, but with letterpress general title with woodcut vignette and NT woodcut title, reinforced to gutter margin verso, preliminary ff and opening f. of Genesis a little softened and frayed with loss to upper margin extending into headlines and text, trimmed close to upper margin throughout with further loss to headlines extending into text of ff OT 28 and 29, and occasionally to headlines thereafter, f. OT 67 torn with loss to upper and lower corners, repaired tear to gutter margin, further occasional closed tears, staining to Isaiah; early 18th-century gilt-panelled calf, acorn-motif cornerpieces, gilt spine in 6 compartments with similar and thistle motifs, all edges gilt, joints expertly restored, very good; foliation: [3], 190, 127, 121, [11]; [26]ff.

DM 192; Herbert 253; Lea Wilson's No. 2.