Rare Books - Fine Bindings

1613 - Kings James, "She" Bible

In 1613, the first edition of the King James Version of the Bible was issued a second time. This particular Bible represents the curious discrepancy over the "she" vs. "he" rendering of Ruth 3:15, "and she went into the city" vs. "and he went into the city." While both "she" and "he" renderings appear to have been printed in 1611, "she" has been traditionally kept throughout the years as the correct translation, though some still contend that "he" is the correct Hebrew translation.

1743 - Saur Bible, first European Bible printed in America

Christoph Saur (1693–1758) printed the first European language Bible in America, using Fraktur (a German style of black letter) type obtained from the Luther Foundry of Frankfurt, Germany.

It took three years to complete the printing and the edition was 1200 copies at a price of 18 shillings.

For the poor, Saur wrote, "we have no price."

1847 - Coverdale Bible

To Miles Coverdale belongs the distinction of the publication of the first Bible printed in English in his translation, the Coverdale Bible. Of Coverdale's place and method of work we know almost nothing. No royal permission for publication was secured--even the place of printing is uncertain--but it was most likely printed in Marburg, Germany. The major importance of Coverdale's Bible is its place as the first of that vast stream of English Bibles which, in one translation or another, has issued from the presses for four hundred years to bless the English-speaking people.