Beschreibung:

BIBLE, in English. The Holy Bible, containing the Old Testament and the New . London: Henry Hills and John Field 1660. [ bound with :] The Whole Book of Psalms collected into English meter by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others . London: William Bentley, 1649. [ and :] A Brief Information concerning Two Witnesses ... published in High Dutch ... translated into English by ... John Sparrow" , 20-page manuscript, 1660.
BIBLE, in English. The Holy Bible, containing the Old Testament and the New . London: Henry Hills and John Field 1660. [ bound with :] The Whole Book of Psalms collected into English meter by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others . London: William Bentley, 1649. [ and :] A Brief Information concerning Two Witnesses ... published in High Dutch ... translated into English by ... John Sparrow" , 20-page manuscript, 1660. 8° (168 x 108mm). Double column, ruled in red. Hand-coloured engraved additional title. Title to both Testaments, and to the Psalms, with woodcut borders and yellow highlighting. Old Testament with 40 numbered hand-coloured plates, including dedication to Charles II by the engravers William Slatyer and Jacob van Langeren on plate 2, otherwise all but plate 1 with two scenes per plate. With a further 3 unnumbered plates, two mounted, each showing one scene. New Testament with 133 unnumbered hand-coloured plates either of a single scene or saint, two mounted. The insertions at front comprise the illuminated arms of Charles II and of the Grocer's Company, a manuscript title on vellum reading: 'This Holy Bible was thus adorned with Historicall Pictures in ... 1660 by the care and cost of Thomas Batt of Dowgate London Citizen and Grocer' and then in miniscule letters 'C. Cocker Ser', and on the facing page a one-page note signed 'T.B.' on the religious value of hieroglyphicks. A hand-coloured engraved portrait of the king forms a fine frontispiece opposite the engraved additional title. The manuscript bound at the end is preceded by another hand-coloured engraving of Charles, this time within a heart surmounted by three crowns (some tears and repairs to plates, Pp7 with tear into foot of text, some marginal thumb-soiling). Contemporary London binding of gold-tooled black turkey with red turkey onlays, covers with central device of a heart and all over pattern of scrolling tulips and other flowers, repeated tool of bird with flaming beak at midpoint of outer borders, chased white metal cornerpieces, ornate spine, gilt edges (spine and board edges rubbed, upper joints cracked, covers chipped with some loss to onlays). A PIOUS LONDONER'S ARDENT TRIBUTE TO GOD AND HIS NEWLY-RESTORED KING. This 1660 bible with extra illustrations, an elaborate turkey binding, and a bound in manuscript was commissioned by Thomas Batt, citizen of London and member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. Batt may have intended it to be a gift for a fellow Grocer or for the use of his own family; he may also have commissioned other examples. This edition is a variant on Darlow and Moule/Herbert 670, the engraved additional title bearing the names of both Henry Hills and John Fields, as opposed to the name of Henry Hills alone. While D & M do not call for any other illustrations the BL copy, cited in ESTC, also has 40 numbered and 107 unnumbered plates. The present extra-illustrated copy contains at least three suites of engravings, many highlighted in gold. The manuscript at the end is another personal contribution of Batt's who endorses it: 'Transcribed by me Tho. Batt out of an English manuscript translated out of the High Dutch Tongue December the 9th 1660'. D & M 670; Wing B2256A & B2438.