A superb example of early English embroidery on a 1628 Bible with two figures ‘Faith’ and ‘Hope’.

[Embroidered Bible] English Bible. London, By Bonham Norton, and Iohn Bill, 1628 Bound with: The Booke of Common Prayer. Bound with: Speed, John.The Genealogies. Bound with: Sternhold, Thomas e Hopkins Iohn, The Whole Book of Psalmes, 1628  [contained within a tailor-made clamshell book box]

The volume contains:

The Booke Of Common Prayer. London, By Bonham Norton, and Iohn Bill, printers to the King most excellent Maiestie, 1628

pp 104. Collation: A-F⁸ G⁴; printed on two columns with Roman characters; This edition has an ornament with burning salamanders. pp.104- Registro: A-F⁸ G⁴; stampato su due colonne con caratteri romani; Questa edizione ha un ornamento con salamandre in fiamme.

 Bound with:

SPEED, John. The genealogies recorded in the Sacred Scriptvres, according to euery family and tribe.London, By Bonham Norton, and Iohn Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie, Anno 1628

pp 40. Collation: A8-B8 C2-D2.The last two pages contain “A description of Canaan and neighboring countries” with a woodblock map in this copy placed to the first work.

Bound with:

The Holy Bible, Containing The Old Testament, And The Nevv Newly Translated Out Of The Originall Tongues: And With The Former Translations Diligently Compared And Reuised By His Maiesties Speciall Commandement.London, By Bonham Norton, and Iohn Bill, printers to the King most excellent Maiestie 1628

pp 896. Collation: A8-Z8, AA8-ZZ8, AAA8-KKK8. “New Testament of our Lord and Sauior Jesus Christ” has a separate dated title page, the signature is continuous. Apocrypha is included in this volume. Title printed inside the ornamental border, depicting the symbols of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the Twelve Apostles and the Four Evangelists. Containing the Old and New Testament recently translated from the original languages: and with previous translations diligently compared and revised.Early english books: STC 1. 1475-1640

 Bound with:

 STERNHOLD, Thomas e HOPKINS, Iohn. The whole book of Psalmes collected into English meeter.London, Printed for the Companie of Stationers, cum privilegio regis regali 1628.

pp 10, 91, 3.The Sternhold-Hopkins metrical paraphrase of Psalms, of which 37 are by Sternhold, 7 by Hopkins, the remainder by others, has been issued under many titles, but is most commonly known as: The whole book of psalmes. 1628

In 8vo; 170 x110mm. Embroidered binding, gilt edges. Copy entirely “réglée” in red ink. Some signs of wear on the binding. This is a remarkable example of a 17th century embroidered binding in good condition. Bibliography: Davenport, Cyril. English embroidered bookbindings, London, Kegan Paul, Trench, Truibner 1899.                                                                                                                                                              

Double page spread of Map of Canaan

Magnificent contemporary English binding finely worked on a hazelnut silk background and embroidered with silver and gold wires and wires coloured in red and various shades of green. The binding features decorated ornaments, in the middle of each covers there is a beautiful embroidered panel that contains a detailed image of a blessing figure holding an anchor in one hand – probably representing ‘Hope’ – and on the other cover a figure with a cross in one hand and in the other hand a page – probably representing ‘Faith’; on the spine, ornamental drawings and hourglasses.

Few specimens of Embroidered Bibles with figures as this example, have survived the wear and tear of time. The most richly decorated copies were often made for Kings and their families; see, for example, the data sheet of 1623 of the Cambridge library: “for bindige & guildinge ye bookes of verses deliu [er] ed to ye Kinge Prince & Nobles”. Bibles and prayer books often had splendid bindings: the luxuriously embellished covers emphasized the importance of the content and were intended as a gesture of devotion.