507 (of 508) leaves plus inserted Genealogies. A4, B4, C6, D4, A-Mmmm6, Nnnn4. Lacking the general title, which is supplied in facsimile. With separate title for New Testament with elaborate historiated woodcut borders. 72 lines of text in two columns. Woodcut initials. [2], 34 pp. of Genealogies with woodcut illustrative vignettes, inserted before the Kalendar. (folio) 39x27 cm. (15¼x10½"), bound in 20th century plain brown morocco, all edges gilt.
Nearly complete copy of the 1613 folio edition of the King James Bible, following on the 1611 first edition, lacking the general title but complete with all text pages, the New Testament title-page, and the genealogies, though it does not have the map of the Holy Land by John Speed, which was not issued in all copies (one had to pay extra) and is often not present. "The true 1613 folio edition of King James' Bible; easily distinguishable from the other large folio editions by its smaller type" (Herbert 322). The King James Bible, commonly known as the Authorized Version, is undoubtedly the most influential of all English language versions of the Bible. Printing and the Mind of Man relates that "It was the leader of the Puritan party, John Reynolds...who first suggested the idea of a new translation. The King took up the idea enthusiastically and gave it his full support. It has been described as 'the only literary masterpiece ever to have been produced by a committee' and was the work of nearly fifty translators, organized in six groups... They succeeded superbly in their aim, not to create a new translation, 'but to make a good one better', so that the noble prose of Tyndale and Coverdale remained the backbone of what Macaulay described as 'a book, which if everything else in our language should perish, would alone suffice to show the whole extent of its beauty and power.'" No new English translation was produced until the Revised Version of 1881. Herbert 322; PMM 114.
Condition:
Some creasing and a few short tears to early leaves, hinge cracked before B2, last leaf with loss to lower corner not affecting any text, a short tear; some leaves in New Testament dampstained at top, Vvvv2 (Capt. 3-6 in St. Matthew) with lower fifth torn off and lacking; very good, contents quite clean overall.