Place: Lyon, France (Lugduni) – a major Catholic printing center in the 17th century
Format: Small folio Latin Bible, bound in contemporary leather (details to add once you check binding condition)
Features:
Dedication leaf with full-page engraving of the coat of arms of Archbishop Camille de Neufville de Villeroy, Archbishop of Lyon (1653–1693).
Printed in the tradition of the Clementine Vulgate (the standard Catholic Bible issued under Pope Clement VIII in 1592).
Text in Latin, in double columns with woodcut or engraved ornaments.
General History
During the 17th century, Lyon was one of Europe’s great printing hubs, producing religious works under the patronage of the Catholic Church. This edition of the Latin Bible belongs to the Clementine Vulgate tradition — the official text of the Catholic Church from 1592 until the 20th century.
The dedication in this Bible is addressed to Camille de Neufville de Villeroy (1606–1693), Archbishop and Count of Lyon. As archbishop for four decades, Neufville was a towering ecclesiastical figure in France, presiding over the Church in Lyon during the reign of Louis XIV. Bibles dedicated to him reflect both the prestige of Lyon’s printers and the close relationship between church leadership and the printing trade.
Why you want this:
Historical Significance: This Bible is part of the Clementine Vulgate line, the most authoritative Catholic Bible for centuries.
Provenance & Dedication: Few books are so clearly tied to a major church figure — the engraved coat of arms and dedication firmly connect this volume to Archbishop Neufville, making it more than just a Bible: it is a historical artifact of Lyon’s religious and printing culture.
Age & Rarity: At over 330 years old, this Bible represents a remarkable survival of 17th-century printing. Complete copies with dedicatory material intact are uncommon.
Collector Appeal: Appeals to collectors of Bibles, Latin texts, Catholic history, Lyon printing, or those interested in the Counter-Reformation and French ecclesiastical history.
Display Value: The engraving of Neufville’s arms makes it a striking display piece in addition to being a serious antiquarian volume.
Condition:
Missing: Main title page.
Present: Dedication page with arms of Archbishop Neufville.
Binding: Original binding but heavy wearing and damage along the corners and spine.
Text block: Generally clean, foxing/staining can be found throughout.
Damage to the first available leaf. Almost loose from the bible.
