The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments [bound with] The Book of Common Prayer and Concordance

(Oxford; London): Printed by John Baskett, (1732-1736).

Price: $4,000.00

Hardcover. An early Oxford Bible printed by John Baskett in 1736 and owned by the Biddle family, a prominent Quaker family from Philadelphia. Quarto. Three parts in one volume: [1]. The Book of Common Prayer; [2]. The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments (with an engraved allegorical frontispiece plate and including the Apocrypha; the New Testament has a separate title page dated 1735); [3]. A Brief Concordance or Table to the Bible of the Last Translation (Printed for R. Ware, 1732).

Signed by Thomas A. Biddle on the front free endpaper, with a later owner’s signature just beneath. Bound-in after the Apocrypha are nine manuscript pages giving a record of the Biddle family and related Philadelphia families. Contemporary calf or sheep, re-backed with parts of the original spine back laid down; later endpapers. The Book of Common Prayer lacks the title page and one (or more) final leaves; the Holy Bible has two partially damaged leaves and lacks one text leaf; the Concordance is lacking the final two leaves, else overall a good closely trimmed copy with some headlines and catchwords slightly shaved.

The nine-page Biddle family record begins in 1765 and spans the years from 1755 to 1830. The record also includes names from other prominent Philadelphia families, including the Cadwalladers and Dunlaps. The first entries are in the hand of Rebekah Cornell. In 1774 she married Clement Biddle, who was a close friend of George Washington and a Revolutionary War patriot. Their sons Thomas and Clement Jr. established the firm of Thomas A. Biddle & Co., Bankers and Brokers, in Philadelphia. A well-read family bible with a notable Philadelphia provenance. *ESTC* T183429 (Common Prayer); T81312 (Holy Bible); T81465 (Concordance).


Item #343534

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Item #343534 The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments [bound with] The Book of Common Prayer and Concordance. Thomas A. BIDDLE, Rebekah Cornell.