Bible. 1519 Biblia cum Concordantiis Veteris et Novi Testamenti. Printed by Giunti in Venice. Illustrated. Annotated.

If you enjoy Bibles that were well-studied and contemplatively considered in period, this 1519 example will be greatly appreciated. Throughout this copy there are lengthy annotations in an old hand (ChatGPT states -Italian humanistic cursive, open "a", tall narrow "I", the long-looped descenders and the forms of -ti/-ct ligatures point to the 16th century); considering the binding and these annotations, it is easy to imagine a 16th century biblical scholar pouring over this Bible.

The "IHS" flaming sun tool on the front board, and the Agnus Dei tool applied to the rear board, also add symbolism and beauty to the overall book. This printing is also illustrated throughout in a simple, but striking way.

About the Printer -

This edition of the Bible was printed by Lucantonio Giunti, and bears his "LA" printer's mark on the title page. Lucantonio was the godfather of the Giunti printing family, of which "some thirty members" (Wikipedia) became involved during the 16th century, spreading throughout Italy.

Full Title (roughly translated to English) -

The Bible with concordances of the Old and New Testaments and the sacred canons: with as full a summary as possible attached to each chapter: and with a fourfold repertory added for easier discovery: and also with additions in the margins of varieties of diverse texts: and also with the ancient canons of the four gospels inserted: with the most diligent and chastised Hebrew words: which were previously very corrupt: with also marginal additions inscribed, indicating the annals and histories of each nation according to those times: together with diligence revised, corrected and amended

Provenance -

The ex-libris of a Clairborne Pell is found on the pastedown.

Bibliographic Details -

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) number 800228, not rare, found in many of the world's best libraries such as the Vatican (Biblioteca Apostolica), many Italian libraries, Bodleian Library, The Library at All Souls College, etc.

Censimento Nazionale delle Edizioni Italiane del XVI secolo - reference 5783

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 15 x 10 x 6.5 cm. Gatherings of eight (8vo). Vellum binding with blind tooling decoration; ties expired. Both boards with frames of blind fillet and corner florets. Front board with a central Jesuit stamp. Rear board with an Agnus Dei stamp. Spine with three bands all compartments with a central blind floret. Text block edges washed red. Title page with a decorative frame. Illustrated throughout with woodcuts. Some text in red. OT and NT with a full-page illustration at start.

Pages – xxxxii, 1-532, [54 – Interpretationes, etc]. Last leaf missing, likely blank.

Collation – *-**8, ***10 (10th leaf replaced/mounted), a-z8, r8, s8, y8, A-Z8, AA-PP8, 1-6sub8, 7sub7 (missing eighth leaf of seventh gathering, a blank).

A note on the Agnus Dei stamp on the rear board, it is in mirror, and that may indicate that a wax seal matrix was used, rather than a tool designed for binding.

Condition -

See pictures. Binding well-worn and toned, slightly out of square, a little cockling (waviness) and damage to front top corner. Both endbands broken. Manuscript shelf number at bottom of spine. Some ink spots on front board. Bookplate on pastedown. Same shelfmark as spine on flyleaf. Notes written on blank front binder’s endpaper.

Moisture marks from edges throughout, but it could be from the red wash applied to the text block edges. Title page mounted, with shelf marks, ex-libris marks and some strike-throughs. Text block toned throughout, with some thumbing, occasional dog-eared page and page-edge chip, etc. 1st gatherings top-corner bumped. Trimmed tight at top, sometimes catching header. Annotations/underlining/strikethroughs in an old hand, throughout. Many of the leaves of the 1st gathering mounted/strengthened at gutter. Some worming at gutter. 3*10 replaced at gutter (likely blank). 1st gathering of Genesis heavily notated. Marginal annotations trimmed, indicating later rebind. c and d gatherings with a moisture mark. 1 cm hole in h4. q to z gathering with moisture marks from bottom and fore-edge. Ink smudge on B4. O8 with a moisture mark. U7 with a 2” tear from bottom edge. X7 and X8 with a moisture mark. Last extant leaf loose. The eighth leaf, in the last gathering is missing; blank (present in one of the National Central Library Rome's digital copies, and it's blank)