1540 Great Bible Leaves Whole Signature Kings 4 - Chronicles 1, Mounted in Folio

An original 8-leaf folio signature from the 1540 edition of the Great Bible, the first officially authorized English Bible of the Church of England. This gathering contains portions of 1 Chronicles and Kings, printed in the distinctive Tudor blackletter type typical of early English biblical printing.

The leaves are 16th-century original paper and have been carefully preserved within a modern green folio binding for protection and display. The gathering remains intact, preserving the original structure of the printed book.

Historical Background

The Great Bible, often called the Cranmer Bible, holds a central place in the history of the English Reformation. It was commissioned under Henry VIII and organized by his chief minister Thomas Cromwell, with support from Thomas Cranmer.

First printed in 1539, the Bible was intended to be placed in every parish church in England so that scripture could be read publicly in English rather than Latin. Its large folio format made it suitable for lectern use.

The translation relied heavily on earlier English work by William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, making it a crucial step in the development of later English Bibles, including the King James Version.

Because these Bibles were heavily used in churches, many copies suffered damage, loss, or rebinding over the centuries. Surviving fragments and individual gatherings such as this one are therefore an important source for the study of early English printing, typography, and the history of the Reformation.

Description

• Work: Great Bible
• Edition: 1540 printing
• Format: Folio
• Content: Portions of 1 Chronicles / Kings genealogical and narrative sections
• Leaves: 8 original leaves
• Typography: Two-column blackletter English type
• Paper: Original 16th-century laid paper
• Binding: Modern green cloth folio binding for preservation
• Condition:

• Original paper with age toning and expected wear

• Minor staining consistent with early modern paper

• Text strong and legible throughout

• Leaves appear complete within the signature

The pages display hallmark features of Tudor-era English printing:

• Dense Gothic blackletter typography
• Two-column folio layout
• Early modern spelling (e.g. Kynges)
• Running headers identifying biblical figures and books
• Signature marks used by early binders to assemble gatherings

These elements clearly place the leaves within the early English folio Bible tradition of the mid-16th century.

Significance

The Great Bible represents a turning point in English religious history. It was:

• The first Bible authorized by the English Crown
• The first English Bible mandated for public church use
• A foundational influence on later English translations

Original leaves from the Great Bible are widely collected by:

• Rare book collectors
• Reformation historians
• Bible scholars
• Early printing enthusiasts

An intact 8-leaf signature such as this is especially desirable because it preserves the original printing structure of the book, rather than isolated single leaves.

Provenance / Preservation

This gathering has been professionally mounted within a modern folio binding, likely to stabilize and preserve the leaves after separation from a damaged or incomplete copy of the original Bible.

Such conservation bindings are common in the rare book trade and help protect fragile early printed material while keeping the historic pages accessible for study and display.

Display & Collecting

This piece makes an excellent addition to collections focused on:

• Early English Bibles
• Tudor printing and typography
• Reformation-era religious history
• 16th-century book production

The folio format and intact signature allow the pages to be appreciated both as historical artifacts and as examples of early modern printing craftsmanship.

Dimensions:

Weight - 570g

Height - 32.2cm

Width - 23cm

Thickness - 1cm