Absolutely beautiful 14 inch folio fine printing and binding reproduction of a fantastic 14th century hand-illustrated Bible.
Holkham, Norfolk [Forward], W. O. Hassall [Intro & Commentary]. The Holkham Bible Picture Book. Dropmore Press. 1954. 191pp.
A fabulous large folio facsimile [first edition] of the famed 14th century Holkham Bible. It contains an introduction and important historical commentary by W. H. Hassall of the Bodleian Library.
The volume is comprised of three separate sections: Part I contains a list of plates and introduction, detailing the physical appearance, arrangement of the Bible Picture Book, theme, layout, composition, colour, text, language and script, iconography, dramatic influence, provenance, and other introductory information. Part II is the actual facsimile reproduction of the manuscript. Part III contains commentary on the plates, appendix on the armour, glossary of obsolete French words, an index of proper names in the manuscript, and a general index.
The whole is beautifully printed and produced. Designed by the famed Dropmore Press, the entirety as printed on mould-made rough-cut vellum by Arnold & Foster, bound in half Nigerian morocco with parchment boards.
10.5 x 14 inches, very solid and clean, spine dulled, minor abrasions on foredge of rear board. Absolutely pristine text, slightest of foredge normally at rough-cut, slightest removal abrasion of a small label at base of title; barely noticeable. Clean of any inscriptions.
