KJV Bible 1648 Containing BoCP, OT, NT and BoP Herbert 604

English Civil War Era KJV with Book of Common Prayer & Sternhold-Hope Psalms

An authentic 17th-century King James Bible printed in London in 1648 by the Company of Stationers, identified bibliographically as Herbert 604.

This is a genuine English Civil War-era octavo devotional Bible retaining:

• Old Testament
• New Testament
• Book of Common Prayer
• Sternhold & Hopkins metrical Psalms
• terminal colophon

The Bible remains textually complete apart from the absence of:

• genealogies
• Apocrypha
• title page to the Book of Common Prayer

Bound in worn but attractive calf leather with extensive evidence of historical use and preservation. Numerous early repairs and reinforcement guards testify to centuries of devotional use and careful retention.

This is not a later facsimile or decorative reproduction, but an authentic 1648 King James Bible printed during one of the most turbulent periods in English history.

Bibliographic Information

• Title: The Holy Bible, Containing the Old Testament and the New
• Printer: Company of Stationers
• Place: London
• Date: 1648
• Bibliographic Reference: Herbert 604
• Format: Octavo
• Language: English
• Translation: King James Version (Authorized Version)

Present:

• engraved Bible title page
• Old and New Testaments
• Book of Common Prayer text
• Sternhold & Hopkins Psalms
• final colophon
• substantial early binding structure

Absent:

• genealogies
• Apocrypha
• title page to Book of Common Prayer

Additional Notes:

• old repairs throughout
• some foxing present
• occasional staining (appears to be tape staining?)
• age toning and edge wear
• binding rubbed and worn
• reinforcement strips and archival repairs
• text generally legible and structurally coherent

Overall, an honest and attractive survivor with strong historical integrity.

The King James Bible

The King James Bible, first published in 1611 under James VI and I, became the most influential English Bible ever printed and one of the foundational texts of the English-speaking world.

Produced by teams of scholars working from Hebrew and Greek sources, the translation shaped:

• English literature
• Protestant worship
• public speech
• and religious life for centuries.

By 1648, the King James Version had become deeply embedded in English religious culture. Copies from this early period are increasingly scarce due to heavy devotional use, political upheaval, and the fragility of 17th-century materials.

This example belongs to the comparatively early generations of KJV printing, produced only 37 years after the original 1611 edition.

Historical Context: The English Civil War

This Bible was printed during the final phase of the English Civil War, one year before the execution of Charles I in 1649.

England in 1648 was marked by:

• conflict between Parliament and the Crown
• religious division between Anglicans, Puritans, and other Protestant factions
• suppression and controversy surrounding the Book of Common Prayer
• dramatic political and social upheaval

The inclusion of the Book of Common Prayer and Sternhold & Hopkins Psalms within this volume reflects the enduring continuity of Anglican devotional practice during a period when traditional forms of worship were under intense pressure.

As such, this Bible is not merely an early printed religious book, but a direct historical artifact of the English Civil War era.

An Exceptional Survival Piece