The whole Byble. that is the holy scripture of the Olde and Newe testament faythfully translated into Englyshe by Myles Couerdale, and newly ouersene and correcte. M.D.L.
Miles Coverdale (1488-1568) Bishop of Exeter
Category
Books
Date
1550
Materials
Leather, metal, paper and ink
Measurements
237 x 190 x 90 mm
Place of origin
Zurich
Collection
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
NT 3071900
Summary
Full description
Orientation: Vertical Text Substrate: handmade laid paper Ink/Pigment: red and black printing ink Type: BOUND BOOK Binding Type: Inboard binding, raised supports Date of Binding: 17.1 and repaired 1955Binder's Name: English End Leaves: Disturbed. Pastedown and flyleaf of plain white handmade laid paper. Structure: EnglishEdges: plain cut from previous sewing, coloured with red pigment, originally polished Spine Lining: moderate round, quadrant joints, no visible linings End Bands: none now - originally?Bookmark: noneBoards: 4mm paper pulp boards, coarse mesh impression on inner surface, all slips laced in Covering: Full brown tanned calf, polished. Rebacked in 1955 with paler brown tanned calf Tooling Spine: blind-tooled double fillet at head and tail of each panel, single fillet across bands, gold-tooled title direct in panel 2.Tooling Sides: double blind-tooled roll border and single panel, with diagonal links at the corners Furniture: pair of clasps on foredge, hook and bar type, catchplates fastened on back board with rivets, under the covering leatherEnclosure: NoneBinding Notes: Ownership inscription on front flyleaf: Benjamin Taylor 1670, with an important slip of ms paper tipped to flyleaf comparing this with the other copy in the library
Bibliographic description
[8], CCCLXXVI, CCCLXXIX-CCCCXCIIII [i.e. 492], CXXI, [3] leaves ; 4to. Running number: 6853. Imperfect: wanting title page ([Maltese cross]1), second leaf of Almanac and Calendar ([Maltese cross]8), first leaf of Genesis (A1), and final 14 leaves (oo7-qq4). Some leaves damaged and repaired: B8 and C7 torn and repaired with linen (or other textile); foot of leaf f2, most of f5, part of m2, lower corner of o4, foot of u6, lower corners of AA8 and FF2, lower part of II8, parts of ff4-5, most of mm5, lower corner of nn3, and upper corner of nn8 all torn off with loss of text, repaired with blank paper; leaves n7, CC1, II3, mm2 and oo6 torn and repaired with tissue paper (no loss of text). Worm holes from front board through to leaf N4. Provenance: library of Sir Richard Ellys (1682-1742). Paper slip loose at front bearing inscription written by John Mitchell (ca. 1685-1751), librarian to Sir Richard Ellys: "This Miles Coverdale's Bible, wants Title Page. first leaf of Genesis. ... This edition is in 1550. as appears from the end of the Dedication to K. Edw. VI. where he says he dedicated this translation sixteen years ago to his Grace's most noble father; which is 1535. the year this Translation was first printed". Various manuscript inscriptions on pastedowns, mostly illegible or writing practice, but including on front pastedown "Mary Clayton" and "Roger Clayton one [i.e. own] this booke 4[missing] years ...". Manuscript inscription at foot of leaf BB1r: "John Clayton his booke god give ... [illegible]". Binding: sixteenth-century blind-tooled calf over wooden boards; sewn on four sewing supports; blind thin thick thin fillet rectangular framework consisting of a wide plain outer frame, two middle frames filled with a blind roll (very worn but seems to feature a crown, a shield with the royal coat of arms, a portcullis and stylised foliage), and a narrow plain inner frame; lozenge shape metal (probably brass) bosses on each corner of boards (missing on lower fore-edge of lower board) and in centre of both boards; remnants of two leather clasps (with three ornate circular rivets) on upper board and two brass catches on lower board; spine blind-tooled with double fillets at head and tail and on either side of the four raised bands. Rebacked and repaired (1955) in goatskin, with original spine laid-on; many worm holes through upper board, some through lower board. Original pastedowns mounted on blank leaves; new fly-leaves. Two fragments of vellum manuscript waste (Latin, 15th century?) mounted on guards at rear. Pencil inscription in the hand of Cecil Clarabut (the National Trust's first Libraries Adviser) on front fly-leaf: "Repaired at Cambridge, 1955". Loose paper slip inserted at front containing pencil inscription, presumably written by the binder in 1955: "B6. Repair spine. Extra-ends mounted, MS. Fragments guarded, pages repaired throughout, new flyleaves, front board repaired. 2 1/2 hrs". In brown buckram box.
Makers and roles
Miles Coverdale (1488-1568) Bishop of Exeter, translator Christoph Froschauer (c.1490-1564), printer Hester, Andrew, d. 1557, bookseller Mierdman, Steven, printer