DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57119#0028
G. MICHELMORE & CO.
SPECIALLY PREPARED AND MAGNIFICENTLY BOUND BY THE UNIVER-
SITY Stationers probably for the Ferrars of Little Gidding.
This exceedingly choice copy of the Bible, Prayer-book and Psalms
is entirely of the 1637 edition, though the engraved title-pages belong
to another edition of 1637-8 issued by the same printers. Unlike
the majority of editions, the Prayer-book and Bible have in this case
been printed as a single volume, for it will be noticed that the title
and preliminary matter of the Bible form part of the last quire (F)
of the Prayer-book. In Darlow & Moule’s Catalogue of Bibles,
where this Bible is entered as No. 396, this peculiarity is not noticed,
and the fact that the Bible begins on signature F2, excites no
comment. It is merely stated that the leaf before the title (which
contains the end of the Prayer-book) is wanting. Two peculiar
readings are noticed in Matthew, “ He called his sonne [for name]
Jesus,” and in ch. xii, v. 42, “ shall up ” (omitting the word rise).
The present unique copy, evidently prepared for some special
occasion or purpose, is ornamented with no less than one
hundred and seventy-three engravings, eighty-one in the Old
Testament, mostly double-page plates, eighty-six in the New,
besides two in the Prayer-book and Psalms, and frontispieces. In
addition there are three copies of the title-page engraved by
J. Payn for the edition of 1637-8. The engravings are mainly
the work of Dutch engravers of the close of the sixteenth and com-
mencement of the seventeenth centuries, and comprise many
specimens of the work of Cornells Galle [1576-1656], Theodore Galle
[1571-1633], Jan Collaert [1540-1628], Cornelis Cort [1536-1578],
H. Wierix [1551-1619], and several others. A large number of
these engravings are after designs by Martin de Vos, and were
apparently issued in series as may be seen from the numbers in
the corners of the majority.
The binding is a magnificent specimen of contemporary Cam-
bridge work. The main design of the covers is a broad frame,
containing a panel within which is a diamond-shaped panel.
The whole surface is covered with gold tooling, built
up with various curved tools, interspersed with flowers, dots,
rosettes, and circles. The back is flat, with a diamond-shaped
panel in the centre, with two semi-diamond panels at top and
bottom, the whole of the back being covered with similar gold
tooling to the sides. The boards are lined with plain paper, and the
edges of the leaves are gilt. The volume has two massive silver
clasps. The book and the illustrations have been elaborately ruled
throughout in red. It is evident that no expense was spared
in its production, and the binding was made either by the Uni-
versity stationers, Buck and Daniel themselves, or by the binder
whom they employed. That the University stationers were con-
cerned in it is evident from the inclusion of three copies of the
engraved title-page belonging to another Bible issued by them at
the same time. The lavish use of engravings brings to mind the
work of the Ferrars at Little Gidding, and the Harmonies produced
there, illustrated with engravings from the large collection which
Nicholas Ferrars got together during his travels on the Continent
between 1613 and 1619.
22
SPECIALLY PREPARED AND MAGNIFICENTLY BOUND BY THE UNIVER-
SITY Stationers probably for the Ferrars of Little Gidding.
This exceedingly choice copy of the Bible, Prayer-book and Psalms
is entirely of the 1637 edition, though the engraved title-pages belong
to another edition of 1637-8 issued by the same printers. Unlike
the majority of editions, the Prayer-book and Bible have in this case
been printed as a single volume, for it will be noticed that the title
and preliminary matter of the Bible form part of the last quire (F)
of the Prayer-book. In Darlow & Moule’s Catalogue of Bibles,
where this Bible is entered as No. 396, this peculiarity is not noticed,
and the fact that the Bible begins on signature F2, excites no
comment. It is merely stated that the leaf before the title (which
contains the end of the Prayer-book) is wanting. Two peculiar
readings are noticed in Matthew, “ He called his sonne [for name]
Jesus,” and in ch. xii, v. 42, “ shall up ” (omitting the word rise).
The present unique copy, evidently prepared for some special
occasion or purpose, is ornamented with no less than one
hundred and seventy-three engravings, eighty-one in the Old
Testament, mostly double-page plates, eighty-six in the New,
besides two in the Prayer-book and Psalms, and frontispieces. In
addition there are three copies of the title-page engraved by
J. Payn for the edition of 1637-8. The engravings are mainly
the work of Dutch engravers of the close of the sixteenth and com-
mencement of the seventeenth centuries, and comprise many
specimens of the work of Cornells Galle [1576-1656], Theodore Galle
[1571-1633], Jan Collaert [1540-1628], Cornelis Cort [1536-1578],
H. Wierix [1551-1619], and several others. A large number of
these engravings are after designs by Martin de Vos, and were
apparently issued in series as may be seen from the numbers in
the corners of the majority.
The binding is a magnificent specimen of contemporary Cam-
bridge work. The main design of the covers is a broad frame,
containing a panel within which is a diamond-shaped panel.
The whole surface is covered with gold tooling, built
up with various curved tools, interspersed with flowers, dots,
rosettes, and circles. The back is flat, with a diamond-shaped
panel in the centre, with two semi-diamond panels at top and
bottom, the whole of the back being covered with similar gold
tooling to the sides. The boards are lined with plain paper, and the
edges of the leaves are gilt. The volume has two massive silver
clasps. The book and the illustrations have been elaborately ruled
throughout in red. It is evident that no expense was spared
in its production, and the binding was made either by the Uni-
versity stationers, Buck and Daniel themselves, or by the binder
whom they employed. That the University stationers were con-
cerned in it is evident from the inclusion of three copies of the
engraved title-page belonging to another Bible issued by them at
the same time. The lavish use of engravings brings to mind the
work of the Ferrars at Little Gidding, and the Harmonies produced
there, illustrated with engravings from the large collection which
Nicholas Ferrars got together during his travels on the Continent
between 1613 and 1619.
22
