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A wonderful opportunity to acquire an early King James Bible in octavo with woodcuts (mostly the Genealogies) for at an affordable price!

NOTE: The pages of the book are a bit brighter and cleaner than what the pictures show.

The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament and the New. Newly translated out of the Orginall Tongues, and with the former Translations diligently compared and revised by his Maiesties (Majesty's) special Commandment. Appointed to be read in Churches.

Printed at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Maiesty (Majesty) and the Asignes of John Bill, 1630.

Size, Binding:Octavo, measuring 7 x 5 x 2" (18 x 13 x 5 cm), in dark brown leather with parallel line tooling, tooling on the spine, and marble end-papers, probably dating from circa 1700 to 1800. The text is complete with an added text, The Way to True Happiness.

Collation: (pagination is by leaf) Blank, Genealogies, Title Page, Coat-of-Arms of King James, Dedication to King James (which verifies this is a King James Bible), Contents, and the Old Testament beginning with the First Booke of Moses also called Genesis, New Testament beginning with the Gospel According to Matthew, fragment of a map, The True Way to Happiness (printed by Edward Brewster and Robert Bird, no date but probably circa 1630), and the epistles and the Booke of Revelation.

Condition: Generally very good condition. The binding is holding, hinges a bit fragile and some makeshift repair with adhesive to the left-hand edge of the front board. The coat-of-arms of King James has some writing on it, probably contemporary. Tiny nick to the first leaves, and a chip to the lower corner of the last Genealogy leaf, not affecting the illustration. New Testament title page is laid down. Typical age-toning but a bit brighter and cleaner than shown in the pics. There is a map present near "The Way to True Happiness" but not complete with some pieces missing, and some makeshift restoration had been done. Priced to sell.

A nice octavo edition of the so-called King James Bible, at the time regarded as simply "The Holy Bible, the Authorized Version", meaning it was the official to be read in the Anglican Church, i.e. the Church of England (the Episcopal Church in the US). It was chartered in 1604 during the Hampton Court Conference where King James and English clerics and even some Puritans discussed a new Bible to unite England and Scotland. The true first edition of the King James Bible was printed in folio in 1611, copies of which can fetch $100,000+. The new Bible replaced the previous authorized Bible, the so-called Bishop's Bible commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I.

Despite popular misconception, the new King James Bible was not popular with lay readers. Most English Protestants still preferred the Geneva Bible, which King James despised. The name "King James Bible" comes from a somewhat derogatory label which was attached early on: English Puritans when asked if they read the new Bible would say "We don't read that! That's the King's Bible!) Eventually For about a 30-year period, both the King James Bible and the Geneva Bible continued to be printed. Only by about the 1640's did the King James Version become the preferred Bible among English Protestants which has true to our own time.

NOTE: The pictures are of the actual item for sale. (The picture are NOT stock photos.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: All sales are generally FINAL. I do NOT accept returns because of buyer's remorse, "it was a gift but the recipient already had it", or "I found the same book(s) at a better price". I am not selling new items to compete with other retailers. Returns are only accepted because of significant discrepancies regarding edition and/or condition of which I try to be very thorough in researching the edition/printing as well as describing ALL condition issues. So make sure you're 100% positive you desire one of my items before making a purchase.

Shipping: Free domestic US shipping in large flat-rate box. $110 UK and international.

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