The Gustav Vasa Bible, 1540-41

Biblia, thet är all then Helgha Scrifft på swensko.

Upsala, Georg Richolff, 1540-41. Folio (29 x 18 cms.) 755 leaves (of 762, incl. blanks). With some 60 woodcuts.

(Lacks titles of the Old and New Testaments, leaf a1 only partly preserved, with sellotape repair and loose; lacks leaf a6, final leaf of the Prophets (3Z8), and final leaf of the New Testament (2E3). Also the two blanks.)

19th-century half calf, very worn. First and final ten leaves worn and torn with paper loss, stained and mended (leaf 2C3 with substantial loss of text). Leaves H5 and I3 torn with substantial text and image loss, title of The Prophets loose and frayed along edges. Text as a whole in rather fine condition despite occa

and stains. Title of the New Testament replaced by a blank leaf with a 19th-century annotation. Contemporary or old ownership inscription on leaf 2 (beginning of The Book of Genesis) and a second one, dated 1585, on leaf 32 verso.

Lindberg, Swedish Books, 15. Collijn, 2, pp. 88-104.

The extremely rare ”Gustav Vasa” church Bible, the earliest complete Swedish Bible to be printed. Having been in constant use since the 16th century very few copies survive, especially in private hands.

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