Books and Manuscripts: Rare Americana

The Bible of the Revolution: The First Complete English-Language Bible Printed in America

Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by R(obert). Aitken, (1781)-1782. Two parts in one volume. First edition. 12mo, 5 3/4 x 3 1/2 in. (146 x 89 mm). Unpaginated (*, A12-2Z12, 3A5; A6-2D6; lacking A6 [blank] at end of the Old Testament, as usual). Printed in two columns on laid paper; separate title-page for the New Testament (NT), with woodcut vignette, enclosed within an ornamental border, printer's monogram printed on verso; separate register for NT. This copy with the misprints "not" for "now" in II Kings Chap. vii., verse 12; Hosea Chap. vi misnumbered vii; and "thy" for "the" in I Timothy Chap. iv., verse 6. Contemporary full brown calf-covered boards, rebacked, red morocco spine label, stamped in gilt, extremities and boards rubbed; all edges trimmed; general title-page and congressional resolution leaf (A1) supplied in facsimile; Ll5-Ll8 in the Old Testament (OT) supplied and printed on wove paper (Proverbs Chap. XXVI, verse 21 through Chap. XXX, verse 4); Mm-Nn in OT supplied and printed on wove paper (Song of Solomon Chap. I verse 1 through Isaiah Chap. XLIII, verse 15); Dd-Dd2 in NT supplied and printed on wove paper (Revelations Chap. XII, verse 9 through Chap. XVI, verse 21); Dd6 in the NT supplied in facsimile (final leaf of NT); text leaves shaved close affecting many headlines, catchwords, signatures, and some text along bottom edge and fore-edge; A2 in OT repaired with rice paper along top and fore-edge; center of leaves A6 and A7 in OT burned and affecting some words, accompanying singe mark affecting a few adjacent leaves; Gg5 in OT repaired at bottom corner, affecting text in second column; Ll12 in OT repaired along fore-edge, affecting some text; loss at center fore-edge of NT title-page skillfully repaired; additional leaf A2 in NT; Cc6 in NT repaired in top corner, affecting some words; scattered soiling to text; scattered wear all edges; with the 19th century ownership inscriptions of the the Ohio pioneer Nathaniel Shockley (1759-1831), and his family, on front and rear endpapers; ownership signature of a Ruth Trout, Lancaster, Ohio, on recto of rear endpaper; in quarter calf solander box. Hills 11; Herbert 1283; Evans 17473; Sabin 5165; ESTC W4490

A rare first edition of the celebrated "Bible of the Revolution": the first complete English-language Bible printed in America.

Robert Aitken emigrated from Scotland to Philadelphia in 1769 and established himself as a publisher and bookseller, printing the popular Pennsylvania Magazine, and then as the official printer of Congress, printing its official Journals. Before the American Revolution, Britain's publishing monopoly prohibited the printing of English-language Bibles in the North American colonies, and colonists were forced to import them from Great Britain. Due to the British embargo on imported goods when the Revolution broke out Bibles became unobtainable in North America. In 1781, with victory for the United States in sight, Aitken began printing this edition, starting with the New Testament, and completed it the following year, in 1782, with the completion of the Old Testament. That same year Aitken petitioned and received, in September, an official endorsement from the Continental Congress for his work. It is the only Bible to ever be endorsed by Congress.