Holy Bible and Book of Common Prayer 1682

6B Holy Bible. Oxford: Printed at the Theater, 1682.

Notes

The Bible was central to the early history of printing in Europe, beginning most famously with Johannes Gutenberg’s 42-line Bible around 1455, the first major book printed with movable metal type in the West. Early printed Bibles were typically in Latin (the Vulgate) and intended for clergy and scholars, but the Reformation in the 16th century dramatically expanded Bible printing in vernacular languages such as German, English, and French. Advances in printing technology, increased literacy, and religious reform movements made the Bible one of the most widely printed and distributed texts in history, with printers refining typography, layout, chapter divisions, and verse numbering to improve usability for study and worship.

The Book of Common Prayer was first printed in 1549 under the authority of King Edward VI and was a foundational text of the Church of England. Compiled primarily by Thomas Cranmer, it standardized English-language worship at a time when religious identity was closely tied to the state. The book went through several revisions (notably in 1552, 1559, and 1662), each reflecting shifts in theology and politics between Protestant and Catholic influences. Printing played a crucial role in enforcing uniform worship, as officially authorized editions were mandated for church use, making the Book of Common Prayer one of the most frequently printed and influential liturgical texts in the English-speaking world.

Bibles printed in the 17th century reflect both religious consolidation and ongoing conflict, particularly in England and Europe. This period includes the publication of the King James Version in 1611, which became the dominant English Bible due to its literary quality and royal authorization. Seventeenth-century Bibles were often large, expensive volumes, sometimes richly bound, though smaller formats for private reading became more common as printing costs fell.

Description

Brown leather binding with six gold double bands on spine. Red ruled pages with 138 engraved plates. Fully intact with the Apocrypha. Good condition.