{"product_id":"the-bay-psalm-book-1903-facsimile-special-new-england-society-issue","title":"The Bay Psalm Book, 1903 Facsimile, Special New England Society Issue","description":"\u003ch2 dir=\"auto\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOverview:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan\u003eThe Bay Psalm Book: Being a Facsimile Reprint of the First Edition, Printed by Stephen Daye at Cambridge, in New England in 1640\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wilberforce Eames\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication:\u003c\/strong\u003e New York, Prepared for The New England Society in the City of New York\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1903\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Facsimile of the 1640 first edition, New England Society issue\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper-covered boards with cloth spine, gilt lettering\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFacsimile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA scarce and historically important \u003cspan\u003e1903 facsimile of the 1640 Bay Psalm Book\u003c\/span\u003e, specially prepared for \u003cspan\u003eThe New England Society in the City of New York\u003c\/span\u003e, with an introduction by the noted American bibliographer \u003cspan\u003eWilberforce Eames\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis is the \u003cspan\u003eNew England Society issue\u003c\/span\u003e, distinguishable from the more commonly encountered Dodd, Mead \u0026amp; Company issue by its specially printed title page reading:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePrepared for The New England Society in the City of New York.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eContemporary bibliographical records distinguish the Society issue separately from the Dodd, Mead edition. The New York Public Library's early bibliography records the Dodd, Mead version as one of 975 copies on plain paper and then lists the New England Society issue separately, with the same Eames introduction and 147-leaf facsimile. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWorldCat likewise catalogues the Society issue with the New England Society as publisher.\u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe Original Bay Psalm Book\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eFirst printed by \u003cspan\u003eStephen Daye at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1640\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan\u003eThe Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre\u003c\/span\u003e, better known as the \u003cspan\u003eBay Psalm Book\u003c\/span\u003e, occupies an extraordinary place in the history of printing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIt is generally recognised as the \u003cspan\u003efirst book printed in British North America\u003c\/span\u003e. Created for the Puritan congregations of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it provided a new metrical English translation of the Psalms suitable for congregational singing. The work was associated particularly with the ministers \u003cspan\u003eRichard Mather, Thomas Weld and John Eliot\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eOriginal copies of the 1640 printing are among the great rarities of early American printing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe 1903 Facsimile\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis facsimile was produced more than 260 years after the original and was intended to reproduce the typography and appearance of the surviving 1640 copies as faithfully as possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIt is preceded by an important historical and bibliographical introduction by \u003cspan\u003eWilberforce Eames (1855–1937)\u003c\/span\u003e, one of the leading American bibliographers of his period. His introduction is dated \u003cspan\u003eNew York, October 1903\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe standard Dodd, Mead issue of the facsimile was explicitly limited to \u003cspan\u003e1,000 copies\u003c\/span\u003e, comprising \u003cspan\u003e25 copies on Japan paper and 975 on plain paper\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe present copy, however, carries the alternative title page of the \u003cspan\u003eNew England Society in the City of New York\u003c\/span\u003e. Bibliographical sources record this Society issue separately from the Dodd, Mead issue. I have not found reliable evidence establishing how many copies were produced specifically for the Society, so no limitation is claimed for this issue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eInterestingly, an example of the Society issue appeared as early as \u003cspan\u003e1922\u003c\/span\u003e in an American Art Association auction catalogue, where it was described as being in \"boards, cloth back, uncut\", closely corresponding to the binding of the present copy.\u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eContents\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe volume reproduces the celebrated 1640 title page:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTHE WHOLE BOOKE OF PSALMES Faithfully TRANSLATED into ENGLISH Metre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eand continues through the complete sequence of Psalms to \u003cspan\u003ePsalm 150 and FINIS\u003c\/span\u003e, followed by the concluding \u003cspan\u003e\"An Admonition to the Reader\"\u003c\/span\u003e and \u003cspan\u003e\"Faults escaped in printing\"\u003c\/span\u003e errata.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe leaves retain their attractive \u003cspan\u003euntrimmed\/deckled edges\u003c\/span\u003e, adding considerably to the period appearance of the facsimile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eBinding \u0026amp; Condition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eOriginal paper-covered boards with brown cloth spine, lettered in gilt:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTHE BAY PSALM BOOK\u003cbr\u003eCAMBRIDGE 1640\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eBinding rubbed and worn commensurate with age, with wear and small losses at the head and foot of the spine and rubbing to the board extremities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eFront and back boards show surface splitting, however, boards are still secure and stable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eInternally the book presents very well for its age, with occasional light spotting, toning and handling marks. The leaves retain their original untrimmed edges. The final Psalms, \u003cspan\u003eFINIS\u003c\/span\u003e, admonition and errata are present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003eWhy Buy This Copy?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis is a particularly interesting version of one of the most important facsimiles of early American printing. Rather than the standard \u003cspan\u003eDodd, Mead \u0026amp; Company\u003c\/span\u003e title page, this copy bears the special imprint of \u003cspan\u003eThe New England Society in the City of New York\u003c\/span\u003e, an issue separately recognised in contemporary bibliographical records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIt offers an opportunity to own an early and carefully produced facsimile of the \u003cspan\u003efirst book printed in British North America\u003c\/span\u003e, itself now more than \u003cspan\u003e120 years old\u003c\/span\u003e, in its original binding and in the less commonly encountered New England Society issue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight - 470g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight - 20.2cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWidth - 13.8cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThickness - 2.5cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Momo Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55046672482643,"sku":null,"price":200.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0953\/9187\/5411\/files\/IMG_9299.jpg?v=1790246361","url":"https:\/\/www.momorarebooks.co.uk\/products\/the-bay-psalm-book-1903-facsimile-special-new-england-society-issue","provider":"Momo Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}