Beschreibung:

Biblia, Das ist: Die Heilige Schrift Altes und Neues Testaments, Nach ver Deutschen Ueberfekung D. Martin Luthers.
Germantown: Christoph Sauer, 1743. Thick 4to (250 x 180 mm). Title in red and black, ornamental headpieces at the beginnings of Genesis and St. Matthew, tailpieces at the ends of the OT and NT and an ornamental tailpiece at the end of the Register. Text in two columns in fraktur type. Original calf, covers with metal bosses at each corner, spine with raised bands and metal studs, engraved metal hinges (lacks the clasps). Condition : lacks the front free endpaper, small holes in the lower left corner of the title and first two leaves and terminal three leaves (from rubbing against the binding), foxing and staining to the terminal 4 leaves, else only relatively minor browning; binding varnished at an early date with some resulting crazing, worn along the raised bands. first bible in a european language to be published in america. Following the success of his hymnbook for the Ephrata Brethren, Sauer began contemplating, raising funds, importing type and mixing his own ink to produce a quarto Bible for the Pennsylvania German orthodox and separatist communities. The Bible took 18 months to set and print and was announced as ready for sale in August 1743, advertised at a cost of 18 shillings. This complete copy of the Sauer Bible collates as follows: General Title, one leaf (verso blank). Preface, one page. Order of Books of Old Testament, one page (on verso of Preface). OT text, pp. 1-805. Apocrypha, pp. 806-middle of 949. Appendix, middle of pp. 949-995 (verso of final leaf blank). New Testament title, one page. Order of Books, one page (on verso of NT title). NT text, pp. 3-277. Register of Epistles and Gospels for Sundays of Christian Year, two pages (beginning on verso of the end of NT text). Register of Epistles and Gospels for certain Saints' Days, one page (on verso of Register). Short history of translations of the Bible, four pages. this copy the very rare first issue, with the title page in its first “suppressed” state . Sauer’s text of the Luther translation was largely based on the Halle Bible, but with the addition of the appendix to the Apocrypha with books 3 and 4 Esdras and 3 Maccabees supplied from the Berlenburg version. Noting these additions on the original title page as “customary” led to sharp criticism by both local Reformed and Lutheran ministers and a new title was set and inserted in all unbound copies. The rushed job resulted in the misspelling of “Parrallelen” on the second issue title. Copies with the suppressed first issue title are extremely rare. Of the 1200 copies originally printed by Sauer, fewer than 150 are thought to have survived, and many of those defective. This copy is in relatively well-preserved condition. Arndt, The First Century of German Language Printing in the United States of America 47A; Darlow & Moule 4240; Evans 5127; Hildeburn 804; O’Callaghan 1743.1; Sabin 5191; Wright, Early Bibles of America, pp. 28-50.