Great Bible) The Byble in Englyshe, That is to Saye, the Content of All the Holye Scripture, Both of the Olde and New Testament Truly Translated After the Veryte of the Hebrue and Greke Textes .1540 Edition

      Robert Redman, and Thomas Petyt, for Thomas Berthelet, London 1540 - An extremely important early Bible, one of the earliest Bibles printed in English (Herbert 52). Black letter. The first Great Bible version printed in England in its entirety. The first printing of the Great Bible was started at the Regnault Press in Paris but was suppressed by the French authorities at the end of 1538 and many of the sheets confiscated. Grafton and Coverdale managed to save some and were able to transport the necessary presses, type and workmen to London, where the edition was finished in April 1539, one year before the publication of this edition, smaller in size and with some corrections and revision. Bound in later, probably 17th century panelled and blindstamped straight grained morocco with a later reback. Some wear to extremities and surface blemishes. One or two small losses to leather. Front innher hinge weakening. Bookplate of William Henry Dutton to front pastedown. 57 lines to the full column. General title in facsimile. Missing first four preliminary leaves, first eight leaves of Genesis, Iii7, Iii8, Kkk1, Kkk8, Lll1, Lll8 and quire Nnn at end. In total 26 leaves missing from 556. Starts on Genesis leaf x. Full collation would be +4, A-B8, C-K8, L6, M-Z8, aa-dd8, Aa8-Rr8, Ss6, tt6, Vv-Zz8, Aaa-Eee8, Fff6, Aaa-Nnn8 (with extra sheet Hhh+8 before Hhh). Top margin a little cropped but usually not affecting headlines. Fore margin cropped occasionally just impinging on margin notes. Occasional short closed handling tears to margins. Occasional darkening or minor soiling along gutter. First 16 leaves with repairs to gutter. Some worming to gutter towards front. B8 with some loss to bottom margin with loss of some words. D3 with loss of a few words to one corner. Some mild stains and soiling to first 10-20 leaves but most of the text is fairly clean. Minor couple of holes with loss of a few letters to H7-H8. Small loss to bottom margina of O1 with no loss of text. Small tear with minor loss, with paper repair to verso of U1, with no loss of text. Paper strengthening to gutter margin of Ee1. Minor couple of paper repairs to margins of Ff2-3. Minor loss to corner of Rr3 with no loss of text. Last leaf of Maccabees defective at one corner with loss of a few letters. 4 inch closed tear to NT title with old repair to verso. Some minor worming to corner of Hhh2-8. Kkk3 with loss to fore margin. To find a complete copy outside of institutional hands would be near impossible. This copy whilst defective, is quite tidy for the vast bulk of the text and represent a rare opportunity to buy one of the earliest Bibles printed in English. We can send images of this book on request. [Attributes: Hard Cover]