1558 Holy Bible, Jean Tournes

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FULL TITLE: BIBLIA SACRA

BIBLIA Il SACRA Il AD Il optima quœque veteris, vt vo- Il cant, tralationis exemplaria Il summa diligentia, pariq; Il fide castigata. Il * Il Cum Indicibus copiosissimis. Il LVGDVNI, Il ApVD IOAN. TOR458 NAESIVM, 11 M.D.LVIII

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Language Latin
Printed by Joan Tornaesium (Jean de Tournes), Lugduni (Lyon), 1558

DESCRIPTION:

Rare illustrated Latin Renaissance Bible published by the famed Lyonnais printer, Jean de Tournes in 1558. It is a re-edition, page for page, printed with the same type as the previous 1554 edition. Richly embellished with 198 woodcut illustrations by Petit Bernard, with 115 in the Old Testament and 83 in the New Testament (Cartier, 391). The in-text woodcut vignettes appear throughout and are superbly rendered. Title page presented in a frame engraved with arabesques. Each of the New Testament woodcut prints is also framed on both sides by a vignette of arabesques. Text is presented in two columns with marginal notes, both printed and handwritten. Embellished with ornate capitals and endpieces. Without the first blank sheet on which appeared the printer brand of Tournes. Includes an index for the Old and New Testaments, as well as notable sentences of the New Testament.

Bound with decorated pigskin vellum over contemporary wooden boards. Both front and back covers display intricate designs with nets, castors, medallions, portraits, and cold-stamped figures. Upper-most metal clasp remains intact. Spine with 4 raised bands.

Several ex-libris markings, including the Ex-libris Bibliotheca FF. Capucinorum Lucernae, as well as bookstamps and a pasted label beneath the title vignette.

"This Bible is very well printed, on good paper and with a very elegant type..." (Cartier, Bibliography Editions de Tournes, Lyonnais printers, 391)

“Cette Bible est très bien imprimée sur bon papier et avec un caractère de huit poétique très élégant qui rappelle le type elzévirien.” (Cartier, Bibliographie des Éditions de Tournes, Imprimeurs Lyonnais, 265) 

CONDITION:

Good condition; lacking the first blank sheet with the printer brand of Tournes; several ex-libris markings, as well signatory markings, on front title & front pastedown, including bookstamps & a pasted label beneath the title vignette (as pictured); a trace of wetness affecting the first 100 sheets; various other instances of minor soiling and small stains; small portion of lower margin torn away pg.7-8 (not affecting text, see photo showing Noah's Ark); textblock shows gathering at rearmost section, as well as a small section bunched near mid-textblock (see photograph); page edges are worn and show soiling & patina; one clasp remaining preserved intact but lacking the other; decorated pigskin boards with minor defects of use as well as a small split of the lower inter-seam at the foot of the spine & cracking of the front gutter; binding otherwise secure; covers show smoothing of leather as well as age darkening & soiling, with small gaps of leather, wear of corners & blunt edges, stitched repair on the top spine nerve, and a split of the leather at the front-lower seam & top-rear seam; a correct copy otherwise despite flaws and several binding defects.

BOOK MEASUREMENTS: 18.5 cm X 13.5 cm

TOTAL LENGTH: 8 ff. + 1152 pp. +38 ff. + 1 f. white + rear blank