The Holy Bible, Containing the Old Testament and the New: 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 The Vinegar Bible

Oxford: John Baskett, 1716-1717. First edition. Fine Binding. Very Good. 21" by 14". None. A beautiful set of the famed 'Vinegar Bible' published by John Baskett of Oxford. Dibdin notes this Bible as 'the most magnificent' of the Oxford Bibles. A handsome edition, with this set bound in a binding with George III's monogram to the boards. The first edition of the 'Vinegar Bible' which is known as such due to the erroneous 'The parable of the vinegar' instead of 'vineyard' above Luke XX (the verso of G6) to the New Testament. This variant has the 1717 imprint to the Old Testament and the 1716 imprint to the New Testament. Printed by John Baskett, who was the King's printer. Baskett held a reputation for purchasing competing Bible printing business and absorbing them into his own. He wished to produce a high quality Bible, in a folio edition, that would become a presentation piece used in churches and aristocrats. This Bible was therefore produced. A scarce edition of The Bible, which holds important stature in the history of print and in the bibliography of The Bible. Particularly scarce in this contemporary Royal binding, which is possibly a presentation binding produced for this work. This edition has the red-ruling throughout both volumes. The 'Vinegar Bible' is noted for its beautiful head and tail pieces throughout. Harry Carter, in 'The History of the Oxford University Press' notes that 'only Baskerville's Bible is its equal among English Bibles for beauty of type, impression and paper' (Carter, p.171). This copy has been skillfully rebacked, to both volumes, with the original spines laid down and boards preserved. With a Sotheran stamp to the verso of front endpaper. With the vignette title page depicting the Clarendon Building to the Old Testament. To the New Testament there is a vignette title page depicting the Annunciation. Sumptuously illustrated throughout, with head and tail pieces, in addition to engraved ornamental letters. With the signatures: *1, a-b2, c1, [*]2, A-4P6, 4Q3; [1], A-X6, Y4 Collated, without additional engraved title page. Blank 4Q4 to the Old Testament and Apocrypha is not present. Gathering [*] is bound after c1, rather than preceding a-b2 as it is found in the ESTC signatures. Another nickname for this edition was 'A Baskett-ful of Errors' due to the numerous misprints (Herbert 942; Darlow & Moule 735). A very smart copy of this work, in an important contemporary binding. In uniform contemporary black morocco bindings with the monogram of George III to the front boards. 'GR' Monogram to the spines. Rebacked, with the original spines laid down and boards preserved. Externally, generally smart. Light marks to boards and minor fading to the gilt. Internally, both volumes are firmly bound. Small loss to the dedication leaf from chipping with repairs to the dedication leaf at the gutter. Minor chips to first few leaves to the Old Testament at the extremities.. Tiny worm holes to *1 of Old Testament. Occasional tape repairs to the margins of leaves to both volumes, noticeably to the bottom margin of E1, to the outer margin of E5 and to 2L3 which affects the occasional word to the left hand column. R6 has slight creasing and some minor closed tears to the gutter, not affecting text. Small loss to the bottom margin of 2B2. Small loss to the extremities of 4C2. 'New Testament' also has repairs to the bottom margin several leaves, including the title page, C5 & 6, N2 and T2. To H3 there is a repair to a closed tear at the bottom of the page, not affecting the text. Tape repairs to the text of K4 to the New Testament obscuring the occasional word. Pages are unusually bright. The majority of leaves to this work are clean, however 4F2 and 4F5 to the Old Testament are spotted. Very Good