While I’m not officially taking part in the #FirstsOnline virtual book fair, I thought you might enjoy this item from my personal collection. Published by Bilton & Scaggs of Greek Street in 1651, this crown octavo would have set you back about 4/- unbound, or 5/6 bound. 
There are several errata that make this copy interesting. As you can see, the poor typesetter was having something of a bad day. There are also some additional verses in Genesis, and the text itself is an odd marriage of wording from the Geneva and King James Bibles.
Possibly this non-standardised (and doubtless unlicensed) text was B&S’ attempt to appeal to a public still fond of the Geneva version, but with a streamlined, cheaper edition, lacking the marginal notes. An unauthorised hybrid was certainly not likely to have met with approval.
Given that Josiah Scaggs spent the last eight years of his life in Newgate Prison for forgery (before succumbing to typhus), official approbation was presumably low on his list of priorities. It’s something of a miracle that they got away with it for as long as they did.
That being said, I like to think there was some noble ambition in making a more compact and affordable bible available to people, and not just a desire for material gain. While the 1651 print run was destroyed, B&S (or at least a descendant of Cornelius Bilton) did later
produce a moderately popular ‘thumb bible’ which remained in print until the business was eventually dissolved in the late nineteenth century.
So that’s all right, then.
Hashytag #AntiqueBooks #VirtualBookfair #RareBooks
So that’s all right, then.
Hashytag #AntiqueBooks #VirtualBookfair #RareBooks
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
