[BIBLE IN ENGLISH]. The Holy Bible. Containing the Old Testament and the New: Newly Translated out of the originall Tongues, and with the former translations diligently compared and revised by his Majesties special command. Appointed to be read in Churches. Published by Cambridge: Printed by Tho: and John Buck, printers to the University of Cambridge [1629]. Small folio. [-] 2, ¶6, A-Z6, Aa-Zz6, Aaa-Iii6, Kkk4, Lll-Zz6, Aaaa6, Bbbb4. Elaborate wood-engraved architectural title-page, woodcut headbands, initial letters and tail-pieces. Text in double columns. Separate plain title-page for the New Testament. Bound by Queen's binder A (most likely William Nott), ca. 1686, in full red morocco stamped decoratively in gilt with a seven-paneled, elaborately gilt-tooled spine and gilt turns-ins. All edges gilt. Later marbled endpapers. THE FIRST KING JAMES BIBLE PRINTED AT CAMBRIDGE AND THE FIRST COMPLETE "EDITORIAL REVISION" OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE, A MODEL OF FINE EDITING, INTRODUCING NEARLY 500 CHANGES THAT HAVE BECOME STANDARD, IN A QUEEN'S BINDER "A" FINE BINDING.

Cambridge began to print the Bible in the Geneva version in 1558 under a charter granted by Henry VIII in 1534. The Cambridge Geneva Bible appeared in 1691. Meanwhile in London, Christopher Barker had acquired a virtual monopoly in Bible printing by virtue of his patent as Royal printer, granted in 1577. In seeking to break that monopoly, Cambridge University Press and the Bucks insisted that they had the means to produce far better edited editions of the Bible in their university town. In 1628, Charles I ratified Henry VIII's charter, and this Bible was the first publication produced after that act. It was, indeed, significantly more accurate than the Barker editions of the King James Bible, and it began a Cambridge tradition of care for the text. "Another motive probably contributed to the quality of the Bible issued by Thomas and John Buck, printers to the University of Cambridge. Cambridge was making a claim to printing and editorial quality beyond anything their London rivals could produce. Part of this implicit claim was embodied in its conspicuously modern appearance. Roman type, by itself, was nothing new, but the use of u, v, J, and occasionally apostrophes was.The editors made more changes to the text than any other set of editors. By my count (counts of this sort always have an element of roughness), they introduced 221 readings, of which 199 became standard. In terms of frequency, this is roughly one new reading every five chapters. They also confirmed a further 59 variants from the first edition found in some of the earlier editions. The spelling of the names is largely but not entirely a scholastic matter. They introduced 178 spellings, of which 157 have become standard, and they confirmed a further 34. Overall, 493 changes were made, of which 447 (91%) became standard." (Norton, A Textual History of the King James Bible, pp. 83-84). The Queens' Binder was a name given to a small group of English craftsmen during the Restoration (ca. 1660-1700), often called the "Golden Age of English Bookbinding." Modern research indicates that the name actually encompasses four different shops, and even individual bookbinders known as "A" could refer to multiple artisans. Although the bookbinders have not all been definitively identified, there is strong grounds for considering Samuel and Charles Mearne, Roger Bartlett, and William Nott as being at least partially responsible.

Expertly rebacked, with original spine laid-down. Binding extremities have some slight wear and minor soiling. Gilt is slightly faded. Text has very minor foxing, light browning, and the occasional small stain, sometimes touching text. Small hole to outer margin of Hhh4, not affecting text. Small hole to lower margin of Rrr6, not affecting text. Former bookseller's ticket on verso of front flyleaf. Contemporary ink inscription on recto of preliminary blank, later brief bibliographer's note on verso of rear blank, and bookseller's description affixed to verso of ffep. A very good copy in a remarkable binding in a quarter calf clamshell box.