1632 Greek New Testament, Hē Kainē Diathēkē. First Greek work printed in Cambridge, using type borrowed from Oxford

The first Greek book printed in Cambridge, using type borrowed from Oxford. Greek New Testament (with Latin Novum Testamentum on the title page), with Tho: Buck listed as the printer. This copy with "JESOU CHRISTOU" entirely in caps on the 2nd leaf (A1, recto).

This copy with Scottish provenance, "D.G. Forbes of Culloden" on title page, and "D.. Forbes" at last printed leaf. Also, "Culloden Library 1894" on rear of front board. Duncan George Forbes (1685-1747) was a lawyer, judge and Whig politician who played a role in suppressing the Jacobite Rising.

"Novum Testamentum Græcum , was printed at Cambridge , by Mr. Buck , and ever been admired for the perspicuity of its type, as well as for the accuracy of its typography. But it is by no means generally known , that the types were borrowed from the sister university of Oxford. Lord Pembroke was the chancellor of the the university of Cambridge , and there is said to be a letter in existence from his lordship to the curators of the university of Oxford , entreating from them the loan of their Greek types, as they made no use of them themselves." (Charles Timperley, 1839, p. 485, A Dictionary of Printing...).

Universal Short Title Catalogue number 3016343. Not scarce, copies in many of the world's best libraries. ESTC reference S102351

Oddly, the USTC and ESTC list two plates. But, this copy, the copy sold by Swann ($1,375) April 12, 2016, and Forum's October 31st, 2019 copy all only have the frontis plate. I'm unsure what the second plate would be.


Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 19 x 12 x 4 cm. Leather binding. Boards with a blind fillet border and flowers tooled in blind at the corners. Spine with some blind fillets forming compartments (empty). Frontis illustration; no second illustration as called for by USTC. Error in pagination (not missing pages) at 625/26. Last blank leaf is missing (signed 2S4).

Pages (2 - frontis leaf), 624, 627-648.

Collation - Frontis, A-2R8, 2S3

Condition -

See pictures. Worn binding, possibly contemporary; edge and corner wear, some bumps to corners and a few rubs to boards. Top endband cracked and bottom endband missing. Many ex libris inscriptions inside front cover, on title page, and on last page/rear inside board. No pastedowns. No endpapers. Title page, and following three pages chipped away at bottom corner, no printing affected. Title page with some mathematics (in an old hand). Damp staining and toning throughout, worse towards ends. Occasional rust spot, dog-eared page, and thumb mark throughout. Bottom binding tie feels a little shaken (gatherings feel loosish towards bottom). Some of the leaves of the first gathering have pulled through the bottom binding tie, so they feel shaken at the bottom. Coffee mark on 84.