The Gustav Vasa Bible, 1540-41

Biblia, thet är all then Helgha Scrifft på swensko.

Upsala, Georg Richolff, 1540-41. Folio (29,4 x 18,8 cms.) 760 leaves (of 762, without the two blanks). With 60 woodcuts and 10 series of initials.

Plain full leather with clasps, marbled edges, late 1700s or early 1800s. Worn. Main title somewhat soiled and worn with broad backings along edges of woodcut on verso, some ten leaves in beginning and end reinforced in inner margin, a little crudely in a few cases, beginning of the book somewhat finger-soiled and dampstained, first numbered leaf with a long tear, title of New Testament with mended tear in upper part, hardly visible even if the matching of the image is not perfect. Fine internally despite a very small burn hole in upper margin of two leaves, some finger-soiling, slight spotting and occasional slight staining, and a few short marginal repairs. With some manuscript marginal annotations, frequently cropped. The binder has taken great care to trim the book close to the printed marginal notes, often just touching them but very rarely with any loss of text. Bookplate and inscription: Fredrik Wulff, 1886.

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. Complete copies, as well-preserved as in this case, are almost never seen on the market.

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