The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments: Newly Translated out of the Original Tongues: and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised, by His Majesty’s Special Command. Appointed to be Read in Churches.

Description

Original full black morocco, elaborate gilt borders to boards built up with single gilt fillet, geometric roll, and small tools (rococo floral motifs). Geometric gilt decor to board edges; floral gilt decor to turn-ins. Raised bands to spine, and elaborate gilt decor in small tools (flowers, stars, fronds, etc.). Some rubbing to board and spine edges, and to raised bands on spine. Board corners slightly pushed in. Mild, uniform sunning to boards and spine. Minor abrasion (c. 1.5cm) to centre rear board. All edges gilt. Thick 4to (33 x 26.5 x 10.5cm). Hinges sound. Original marbled endpapers; front endpapers cracked at gutter. With loose slip of paper with pen inscription: ‘This Bible was donated to the Community of Our Lady and St John at Alton Abbey by HRM Roundell Esq (…), whose late wife, Louise, was a member of the Corrie family. February 2005’. There is indeed the signature ‘Edgar Corrie’ to t.p., and 6pp. inscriptions, largely genealogical records of the Corrie family, to front of vol., inc. blank verso to front free endpaper and t.p., in a variety of old hands (some interspersed, with annotations to birth or baptismal records giving dates of death). First blank front endpage has some loss at top and bottom gutter. Dates recorded range from 1748 (the birth of Edgar Corrie, clearly recorded after the fact) to 1894 (Fanny Amos, the ‘loving and dearly loved friend and nurse’ to a succession of Corries born in the mid-nineteenth century; possibly the only individual recorded who was not a member of the Corrie family by birth or marriage). The first page of inscriptions is not a genealogical record but a selection of biblical passages and an unattributed quotation from the 17th-century Anglo-Welsh historian James Howell, ‘in the conduct of human affairs it is a rule that a good conscience hath always within doors enough to reward itself’ (see Epistolae Ho-Elianae: The Familiar Letters of James Howell, 1907, Vol. III, p. 3). The collected inscriptions are signed ‘E.C. 14th March 1799’; Corrie concludes, at the bottom of the page, ‘I earnestly recommend the serious consideration of all the above texts & truths to each & to all of my Children’ (the second page of inscriptions records ten children to Corrie and his wife Ann Falkner). Edgar Corrie (1748-1819), prominent Scottish merchant in Liverpool, business partner with John Gladstone (father of the prime minister) from 1787-1801. Corrie was a clandestine abolitionist: he wrote to Lord Hawkesbury in February 1788 with ‘a long attack on the conduct of the slave trade in Liverpool’, but asked that his name should be concealed from all except the Prime Minister, William Pitt, as it would ’cause him “irreparable prejudice” in the town if his letter became known’ (F. E. Sanderson, “The Liverpool Abolitionists”, in R. Anstey and P. E. H. Hair (eds.), Liverpool, the African Slave Trade, and Abolition, 1989, pp. 215-16). No pagination. Decorated initials. Text printed in double columns. Separate dated t.p. for NT. Index to rear. The Apocrypha is listed in contents, but it was issued without. Lacking the additional engraved title page mentioned by Darlow & Moule, as are many other copies in ESTC & OCLC. Large paper copy (considerably larger than the 24.1 x 18.8 size mentioned in Darlow & Moule). An imposing Baskett bible in handsome original binding, with interesting provenance. Darlow & Moule 1180; ESTC T93100. Robust packaging. Tracking can be added to overseas orders on request. Used books are exempt from USA tariffs.