1551 Matthews Bible

[Bible in English.] The Byble, that is to saye, all the holye Scripture: in which are contayned the olde and new Testament, truly and purely translated into Englishe … Imprinted at London by Thomas Petyt, dwellinge in Paules churchyarde, at the sygne of the Maydens heade … vi. day of Maye MDLI. [ Colophon: Nicolas Hyl for John Wallye](See note below.)

The 1551 edition of the “Matthew’s” Bible – that is, the William Tyndale Bible seen through the press originally in 1537 by John Rogers (Herbert 34) -- with printings also in 1549 (Herbert 74 and 75). John Rogers was to be burned at the stake for his work on this Bible during the reign of Queen Mary (“Bloody Mary”).

Folio. 298 x 190mm. Complete but for general title and four leaves of the preliminary “Kalendar” provided in exact expert facsimile (title-page is superb). Aa1 with short tears repaired and blank lower margin extended, no loss. NN6 with tear repaired and blank lower half restored, slight loss. Outer margin of AAa1 restored, no loss. Restoration to margins of a few other leaves, occasionally affecting side-notes. Reader’s markings and underlinings in old red pencil. Some headlines touched. Some light damp or other staining or wear. Overall in superb condition.

Mid-19 th Century full blue morocco, gilt extra, by F[rancis] Bedford. Swirl-combed marbled endpapers. All edges gilt over old red. Beautiful binding, slightly worn at extremities.

Provenance: “Paine” with his 18 th Century bookplat e to front pastedown with motto “Audax et Prudens”; Philip M. Chancellor, with his 20 th Century black and white armorial bookplat e to a front flyleaf; Lord Wardington (Christopher Henry Beaumont Pease, the Second Baron Wardington), died 2005 (President, Friends of the British Library and noted collector of Maps, Atlases and Bibles).

Note on the colophon: According to the colophon in the Bible House copy described in Herbert’s Historical Catalogue of Printed Editions of the English Bible 1525-1961 this edition was printed by Nicolas Hyl for “certayne honest menne of the occupacyon, whose names be upon their bokes.” Different copies display the names of William Bonham, John Whyte, Robert Toye, Thomas Petyt, R. Kele and others. However, neither Herbert nor the Short Title Catalogue of Pollard and Redgrave record the variant at hand, in which John Wallye is named in the colophon.

Herbert 92. (But not exactly matching variants A-F (closest to C); nor exactly matching the given STC numbers (closest to 2084.)

Please Note: This is a low-resolution photo, which shows the format, but makes reading the text nearly impossible. In reality, the text of these Bibles is large enough and clear enough to read very easily.

Click Here To Go Back To Main Index Page





GREATSITE.COM - The World's Largest Dealer of Rare and Antique Bibles