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Importance: “The aim of those who produced King James's, or the Authorized, Version of the Bible was not to produce a new translation, but to make a good one better. It was a continuation, a refinement, a synthesis of all that had gone before. The greatest monument of English prose, no book has had greater influence on the English language or on the character of English-speaking people…” (Thomas, Alan G. Great Books and Book Collectors. Spring Books, 1988, p. 110.)
The early history of the historical stand-alone King James New Testaments starts with the printing of the first duodecimo format in 1611 (Herbert 310), which was the first single column printed, with only 3 copies in a private collection and 3 recorded institutional holdings. Finally, the printing of the first quarto format in 1612 (Herbert 318), which was the second single column printed. The quarto in particular is said to have been printed under the direction of Lancelot Andrews (1555-1626), at the proposal of King James I (1566-1625), within a few months after the famous 1611 HE folio King James Bible was printed (Herbert 309). The folio was printed in double column and restricted to the pulpits of the English churches by chain, along with its enormous format and weight, to prevent theft. Brake-Hellstern 2017 worldwide census indicates there are 198 copies of these folios, and auction records show a complete folio was last sold in 2016 for $396,500.
New Testaments focused on the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, while at the same time eliminating the extra bulk of having an Old Testament. New Testaments like the 1557 Geneva in octavo format (Herbert 106) offered copious summaries and marginal references with commentaries, while the 1612 King James in quarto format was more barebones and stayed so with other editions. The quarto was the perfect format and weight for personal reading and study while traveling, with its large Black letter type ideal for the older eyes or people with visual impairments, and its layout in single column for a smoother reading experience of the Word of God, unlike what the dictionary style (the traditional double columns) offered.
Presented here is a once in a life time opportunity to own a distinguished copy of the stand-alone 1612 quarto King James New Testament. Featuring a crude one-offlimp calf leather binding and the rare 1620 Book of Common Prayer with the 1622 Psalter of the Great Bible, and the 1621 Whole Book of Psalms (together as thick as the New Testament). This copy is far more rarer than the 1611 HE folio King James Bible, and is offered for way less than what a folio typically would sell for at retail price.The functionality, readability, legibility have been improved, and any historical defects to the current covering material and its leaves were mended but kept authentic.
Binding: Don’t judge a book by its covers.Thick Quarto (about 7.5”-8” x 7.5” x 3.125”). 2 lb 15 oz. Rebacked early 18th c. one-off crudely blind tooled and cut full fine dark brown tanned limp calf leather binding with uneven black painted edges. The current binding style is called a limp leather binding, where the covering material (commonly vellum) was stiffened only with pastedowns rather than with traditional boards, explaining its unusual stiffness and thickness (about 3.5 mm or 2 USA pennies). Covers with double-filleted panels, framed inner panels, and centerpieces. Lower cover larger in width and height than upper cover, retained. Sympathetic modern baggy toned brown calfskin leather spine with four raised double-filleted bands and saddle stitched ends. The original leather spine was too stiff and thick to be pared down, and conformed to the resewn text blocks spine due to the new sewing thickness and substantial debris cleared. Originally the spine was flat and without cords, but these cords made it possible to attach the text block to the original leather covers without the need to rebind. The covers cracks were reinforced on the flesh side with rope pulp. Sympathetic modern blue endpapers and plain fly-leaves to avert acid migration, with the original blue pastedowns relaid. The original crude brilliant brass cornerpieces (with etched lines) and catch plate were lightly cleaned. Sympathetic modern center leather strap, brass hasp, strap plate, and black tacking nails (replacing old rusted trefoil lead nails). The original black painted edges were lightly restored, perhaps originally done with carbon black powder as there was an intense accumulation in the gutters of some quires. Without endbands, as originally, therefore can’t be shelved vertically. Comes with a matching clamshell case.
A special thanks to all Professional Conservators, Binding Historians, Museum Curators, and Dealers for their help. The following experts are referenced: The Bookbinding Historian & Curator Philippa Marks from The British Library; Collections Officer: Archive & Library Jane Schön from the Wiltshire Museum; AIC Professional Member Conservator of Rare Books, Manuscripts & Art on Paper Sonja K. Jordan-Mowery from Mowery Book & Paper Conservation; David Pearson, one of Britains leading experts on bookbinding history who formerly worked in the National Art Library & The British Library, & is now a Librarian of the Wellcome Library.
The Historical Bindings Original Condition Description By Sonya: Progress Report: Textblock has been removed from the binding. The sewing has been taken down and reveals that the book has been sewn at least twice before. The current sewing, for the lack of a better word has been stubbed (never seen this in a book from this period or even done in this fashion). So, the sewing history is something like this:The books come from the publisher as ticketed sections--whipped together quickly. At some point all three books are collected and sewn in the traditional method of sewing on raised cords and through the folds. You will see the evidence of this as the shadowing around five raised bands. The area around the bands is a little darker and dirtier because that is where the paste was adhered.
Then for some unknown reason, the book was rebound with the current binding. The current method of attachment is not sewing strictly. While the old sewing was probably somewhat still intact, all sections were pierced through the sections, not at the fold, inside from the spine edge about 1⁄4”. The 4 cords were knotted from back of the book and laced onto the back board and fed through the holes that were pierced. The top board was then laced in with the stubbed cords. The original raised bands were then cut free but cutting the sewing threads on the side. This explains why there are fragments of the original sewing in the folds throughout.
It is logical to assume that when each of the books were published, that the sections were initially ticketed together. It is also clear that the first binding of all books was only the one with the evidence of raised bands we see. The separate books were never sewn through the folds as a book previously, since the sewing holes are all in the same place. This suggests that the first binding of this book is not the current binding.
Final Report: The books had been previously bound several times as is evident by numerous sewing holes at different locations in the gutter as well as material evidence gathered. Based on the gutter and thread evidence, there was one set of four holes in the gutter which were sewn on raised hemp cords. While there are no cords now, there is evidence of them once having been both by the “shadowing” on the spine of the textblock and the cord fragments channeled through the full leather cover. There is also a set of four whipped stitched holes. In the current leaf attachment, there is no sewing through the fold, no endbands, no kettle stitch but rather all sections were attached by stabbing through the entire volume approximately 1/8” from spine edge. The textblock is flush with the covering material, and all textblock edges are painted black. The book does not open well because of the leaf attachment method.
So, the sewing history is something like this: The books come from the publisher as ticketed sections-whipped together quickly. At some point all three books are collected and sewn in the traditional method of sewing on raised cords and through the folds. The 4 cords were knotted from back of the book and laced onto the back board and fed through the holes that were pierced. The top board was then laced in with the stubbed cords. The original raised bands were then cut free but cutting the sewing threads on the side. This explains why there are fragments of the original sewing in the folds throughout. It is logical to assume that when each of the books were published, that the sections were initially ticketed together. It is also clear that the first binding of all books was only the one with the evidence of raised bands we see.
The leather is not attached to any board, but rather consists solely of a full thickness of dark brown tanned calfskin. Because the leather cover is not supported with a board, the leather has cracked at several locations on all three components (front, back and spine). The joints of the leather have redrot and have torn. The covering has not been cut square and so there is a slight difference in size from the front to the back cover. The spine is also full thickness leather which prevents it from having a natural round and flexing with the textblock. There is saddle stitching at the head and tail of the spine, simple double fillets on the spine and both front and back cover, but the fillets do not match up [to the five raised bands that were part of the original sewing that was removed].
There is brass furniture on fore-edge corners of the front and back covers which has tarnished The brass furniture is attached by means of black iron tacks which have rusted, damaging the leather at the corners, as well as the rust penetrating through several pages of both the front and the back textblock. The hasp and strap are missing of the clasp are missing.
Provenance & The Historical Binding:Provenance research indicates that the book stayed in England, Wiltshire (mostly in a small village called Burbage) this whole time up until perhaps the early 20th c., with its variously closely knit owners who were born, lived, and died there (unless otherwise noted). Wiltshire is a county located South West of England famously known for its various historical sites like Avebury, Windmill Hill, and the Stonehenge which alone attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Search for Bremer Ancestral Lines for more information on some of these Families listed below.
The Two Likely Non-Bookbinders:Historically, a Cordwainer (Shoemaker) was a skilled artisan in the craft of creating shoes from scratch using new leather; they shaped lasts (shoe molds) to build the shoe around, they did pattern making, cut the uppers, sewn the uppers together, and then assembled all of the prepared parts. Cordwainer initially denoted someone who worked with Cordovan, which is an equine leather that derived its name from a Medieval city called Cordoba. Cordovan leather is made from a fibrous flat connective tissue under the horses’ hide where the rump is, this was very difficult and expensive to create, therefore it was reserved only for the highest quality shoes. Cordwainers worked with different leathers (including materials like wood, plastic, and rubber) to create all types of footwear like: shoes, clogs (shoes with wooden soles), sandals, moccasins, and boots. During the early 18th c. there was a stark contrast between Cordwainers and Cobblers, as they weren’t the same in craft and how they were treated by society. Cobblers were viewed as the least respected members of society, and even being a called a Cobbler when one was actually a Cordwainer, was a serious insult and not something any Cordwainer wanted to hear, as it meant they knew their craft only as well as a Cobbler. While Cordwainers were well educated, Cobblers in contrast were illiterate shoe menders (including in the craft of Shoemaking), therefore they were forbidden by law to make any new shoes.
Much like today shoes back then were viewed as a necessity and were in high demand. Most think that Cordwainers during the 18th c. operated on their own and worked on a single pair of shoes from start to finish, but this wasn’t the case. Cordwainers had a strategic division of labor and worked as a team, each Cordwainer was assigned a particular work on a pair of shoes in an assembly line fashion, and by the end the pair of shoes were assembled mostly by Journeymen (which took about 12 hours). The team consisted of Masters, Journeymen, and Apprentices (men and women) ranging from dozens to even hundreds in number. The Master Cordwainer was the one who owned the shop(s), oversaw the production of shoes, and trained Apprentices and Journeymen. Cordwainers worked when the sun was up, and may have utilized light from a fireplace, a lit wick candle, or even a shoemakers lamp (also known as the lacemaker’s lamp) which is a device that uses a candle and a globe of water.
The tools they utilized depended on the style of the footwear, typically they would have used a hammer, ruler, knives, pincers, tacks (nails), sewing needles and thread, and a rubbing tool (for burnishing metal). Shoe prices ranged from a crown to over a pound, with riding boots costing as much as £2. The average cost of shoes was 5 shillings and sixpence, about a day's wages for the typical Journeyman. This implies that purchasing a pair of shoes didn’t exceed a day's wages, making it feasible to buy up to four pairs annually.
Historically, Master Cordwainers typically didn’t travel extensively. Their reputation and business were often established in a specific location where they chose to set up their shop(s) to conduct most of their business. Historically, Journeymen were more likely to travel, as the name comes from the French word Journee, meaning a day's work or the distance traveled in a day. Journeymen were skilled workers who had completed their Apprenticeships, but hadn’t yet settled down to establish their own shop(s) or become a Master. As part of their Journeyman years, traveling was a typical part of their career progression, allowing them to gain more experience from different Masters, and find work. This period of travel, was known as the Wanderjahre (wandering years) in some cultures, especially in Europe. Years as a Journeyman varied, and largely depended on how fast they were able to Master the craft of Shoemaking. In any case, if a Master Cordwainer or a Journeyman traveled, typically they would have traveled to neighboring villages and towns, with some perhaps traveling throughout the country (or even abroad in certain exceptions). Apprenticeships typically lasted as low as 7 years or until they were age 21, starting the day they became an Apprentice which was typically between ages 11-13, and they couldn’t marry until they completed their Apprenticeship to their Master.
During the early 18th c. Master Cordwainers chose to either set up a small shop in somewhere like a city or (most typically) inside their own home, but by the late 18th c. they expanded into Cottages and finally into Warehouses. Within these Cottages Cordwainers are said to have worked together, sharing the expenses of supplies and creating shoes that satisfied their unique customer bases. Throughout the 18th c. Shoemaking was a flourishing business, and certainly many were Apprenticed to a Master Cordwainer, but by the early 19th c. this changed with the introduction of mass manufacturing of shoes.
It is unclear what day Thomas Holmes Jr. was born, but he was born in 1718, baptized in Nov. 9th, and at age 21 married Mary J. Neal in Dec. 21st 1739 (completing his Apprenticeship to his father). His indenture wasn’t located but it likely never existed, as it was viewed as unnecessary whenever a son was Apprenticed to his father, which was typical back then. The book likely made its way to him from Ann Brown (16??-17??) around between her last dated inscription in May 29th 1737 and when he married in Dec. 21st 1739. Perhaps, she went to the Church in Burbage to attend the marriage, as per 1620 BCP ¶ At the day appoynted for folemnization of Matrimonie, the perfons to bee married fhall come into the body of the Church, with their friends and neighbours. And there the Prieft shall fay thus. Her numerous inscriptions throughout, some of which are in the BCP, indicate she read through the book.
The binding is likely earlier but dated no later than 1743, per earliest ownership inscriptions on the rear blue pastedown, as everything earlier was discarded during rebinding. Logically, this would have taken place between his birthday (either Nov. 9th or before) and in Dec. 31st 1743, as he had to be age 25 to inscribe what’s on the rear blue pastedown (1743 the date on top minus 25 the number on bottom equals 1718 the year of his birth). It is unclear if in 1743 he was still a Journeyman, but if he was, he would have likely traveled to villages and towns within Wiltshire, but he may have even traveled around England or abroad. Or perhaps he was already a Master Cordwainer working alongside his father inside their home shoe shop at the north end in Burbage, Wiltshire, England (perhaps he did some traveling as well). After his father died in 1751 he would immediately have the home shoe shop, and overtime the business expanded into a Cottage. The following info is from The National Archives, held by The Wiltshire & Swindon History Center, and is occasionally updated with more.
Release in fee (1) Stephen Dove, the younger, of Burbage, yeoman, (2) Thomas Holmes of Burbage, cordwinder. Three lugs of ground set out of an arable ground called Church Sands, that is to say, 8 ft. in breadth at the south end, one lug and a quarter in breadth at the north end and 3½ lugs long, in Burbage. Consideration £2.2s. Rent 2s. Date: 7 March 1719 lease for a year missing. (Reference: 9/6/88)
Release in fee (1) John Thompson otherwise Hunt of Burbage, yeoman, William Thompson otherwise Hunt of the same place, yeoman, Richard Thompson otherwise Hunt of the city of Winchester, gardener, John Neale of Burbage, yeoman, and Sarah, his wife, and Thomas Holmes of the same place, cordwainer, and Eleanor, his wife, (the said John, William and Richard Thompson, Sarah and Eleanor being brothers and sister and joint devisees of the will of their late brother, Francis Thompson, otherwise Hunt, (2) Amor Smith of Everley, cordwainer. Tenement with barn and enclosed arable ground belonging (3a.) called the New Inclosure, situate in Burbage; also a piece of ground in the East Sands (1a.35 lugs). Consideration: £250. 3 November 1739 lease for a year missing. (Reference: 9/6/390)
In July 30th 1784 and Sep. 29th 1787 Thomas Holmes Jr. had a Cottage in manor of Burbage Darells. (References: 9/6/628 & 637)
In conclusion, Thomas Holmes Jr. &/or Sr. are the two likely non-bookbinders but, there’s still a possibility that this was done by someone else in Burbage, elsewhere in Wiltshire, further afield, or even abroad.
The Crudely Executed One-Off Binding, Indicates A Non-Bookbinder:Experts consider this binding to be a one-off.One-offs are bindings that were perhaps not done by a professional and only once, it is also generally hard to locate when and who did the binding and its additions (especially if undatable). Experts agree that while a professional can have many ways of solving a particular issue, they don’t see why a professional in this one would crudely execute the rebinding and its additions (these additions are undatable): unevenly cut leather, lack of boards, stab-sewing over traditional sewing, lack of endbands, and blind tooled decorations, brilliant brass furniture with center leather clasp. Sonya notes that the person who put this together was not a bookbinder and simply used an old cover and stabbed the pages together to fit into the current cover, which it did not do very well. Philippa notes that professionals always had boards lying around and were easily accessible, but a non-bookbinder had little reason to. The binding may seem like a temporary structure, but it was intended to be permanent one, as indicated by its additions and lack of features like long sewing supports (which makes it easier for rebinding). The binding wasn’t found in The British Library Bookbindings Database, and seems to not be in any of the Wiltshire Museums contacted, therefore it is likely the only one.
Experts agree the non-bookbinder was in a rush (indicated by its excised raised bands) and had limited or no access to specific bookbinding tools, using whatever he had even if it meant combining different tools to create a specific tool. The rush likely explains why substantial debris and a few sewing needles were found in the gutters. These sewing needles seem like they wouldn’t have been able to fall through the tight gutters after stab-sewing, and perhaps indicates that Thomas Holmes Jr. owned the book for some time prior to rebinding. Interestingly, these needles were used to lightly scratch an X next to certain verses and were also used to pierce through the paper as bookmarks. Despite the tight gutters the book was still able to lie down flat or on a lap and read through somewhat comfortably. Interestingly, there were specks of white paint on the binding and a fingerprint on the spine, it is unclear whose they were and when they occurred.
Schön notes there are no early directories listing any bookbinders, printers, or even booksellers at Burbage, and that there may have been many other bookbinders who didn’t pay to advertise in local directories. Suggesting that it is possible the book was rebound by someone who didn’t necessarily call themselves a bookbinder, or who carried on a variety of different or associated trades. Schön further notes that the early 18th c. had a thriving market in secondhand goods like clothes and books, with loads of tools and stock from deceased, bankrupt, or impoverished traders being sold in local auctions regularly. Including paper making items like moulds (even with the makers name), that were sold and exchanged, and perhaps away from the original owner at some distance. At this point it may seem like a contradiction, for how can there have been a non-bookbinder who had limited or no access to specific bookbinding tools, if loads of them were sold in local auctions and markets regularly? But this is due to the fact that access to any bookbinding tool depended on the following: their location (perhaps they lived in a town or village where there weren’t any bookbinders), their priorities (perhaps they were already involved in another trade and weren’t heavily invested in bookbinding and just did them on the side), the availability of specific tools (perhaps it just wasn’t available for some reason, especially for something like Rolls, which the binding indicates was the case), or the specific tool wasn’t available at the right price (perhaps they had a family and money was tight).
To illustrate this with an example from Wiltshire in the early 18th c., Edward Easton (died in 1795) and his successors operated a fairly successful business as booksellers, printers, publishers, and bookbinders in Salisbury around 1720, notably specializing in the resale of secondhand books. In 1731, Salisbury's Corporation compensated Edward Easton £1.11s for bookbinding services, though it remains unclear whether the tasks were completed in-house or contracted out. According to the 1790’s Universal British Directory, the Easton family, identified as Bookseller & Stationer, were listed alongside a bookbinder named Andrew Gilmour, who might have been among multiple bookbinders in the city between 1793-98. The directory also lists bookbinders in Salisbury (Andrew Gilmour), Trowbridge (Edward Sweet a Printer & Binder; Thomas Long a Printer and Bookseller), and Warminster (Thomas Langford, Bookbinder; Yockney, S. a Printer, & c.), suggesting a wider network of such tradespeople in the region. When Edward's nephews, Edward and James, took over the business, they advertised themselves as Bookseller, Binder & Stationer. However, James faced bankruptcy, likely due to a local bank's failure, leading to the sale of his Stock…Counters, Desks and other appendages including potentially leather tooling equipment and other tools. Despite losing some assets, and perhaps retaining some of the tools of his trade, he managed to restart his business two years later in 1813. It's important to note that their business wasn’t the only one in Salisbury at the time, as Robert Moody's article on the Easton family notes that, Salisbury's shops were patronised by customers living not only in the city but in quite distant parts of the surrounding country [i.e. countywide].
David Pearson in his book opens a window into the 18th c. that may explain why the book was rebound the way it was. Throughout most of the handpress period, the majority of books sold in bindings with non-flimsy boards - i.e. of wood, pasteboard or millboard - did not constitute cheap or temporary structures, in the sense understood in this chapter, even if the covering material was vellum rather than leather. Towards the end of that period, during the eighteenth century, a confluence of economic factors led to an increasing need to experiment with the traditional formats of bookbinding, and a corresponding blurring of the boundaries between the permanent and the temporary. While book production steadily increased, and customer demand rose in line with growing levels of literacy, the cost of raw materials increased also. Leather, in particular, became increasingly expensive. The list of agreed prices for binding work issued in the name of the bookbinders of London and Westminster in 1744 includes a preamble about “the exorbitant prices that leather now bears by the scarceness of that commodity”, and in 1768 a notice in the London Chronicle stated that the scarcity of leather has occasioned so great an increase in the price of binding, that the booksellers find it impossible to serve their customers at the usual prices...Gentlemen [are encouraged] to have their books done up in boards, or sewed in blue paper.
Collation & Notes: BCP has [242] ff or [484] pp: A-C8 ([A1r] as T.P. A1-B2), D10, E-R8, S10, T-Z8 ([U5r] PGB T.P.), Aa-Hh8. NT has [344] ff or [2], 686 pp: A-Z8 ([A1r] T.P.), Aa-Uu8 (ends Uu8v). WBP has [96] ff or [192] pp: A-M8 ([A1r] T.P.). Total [682] ff or (1,364 p.)