1583 Geneva Bible — 1 Samuel 9–11
1583 Geneva Bible Large Folio Leaf — 1 Samuel 9–11
The Anointing & Choosing of King Saul
An authentic, original 1583 Geneva Bible large folio leaf, printed in London by Christopher Barker, Printer to Queen Elizabeth I. The Geneva Bible became one of the most influential English Protestant translations of the sixteenth century and was widely used among English Protestant communities.
This substantial leaf preserves an important sequence from 1 Samuel, recounting the first meeting between the prophet Samuel and Saul, Samuel's private anointing of Saul, and Saul's subsequent public selection as the first king of Israel.
Printed in the imposing large-folio format associated with the 1583 Geneva Bible, the leaf combines bold Gothic typography with extensive Roman-type marginal commentary, creating a particularly striking example of sixteenth-century English biblical printing.
Item Specifics
Year: 1583
Version: Geneva Bible
Printer: Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queen's most excellent Majesty
Material: Original 16th-century heavy rag paper folio leaf
Dimensions: 10 ½" × 15"
Format: Large Pulpit Folio
Page: 139 (marked in the upper right corner)
Type: Gothic black-letter text with extensive Roman-type marginal commentary
Certificate of Authenticity: Included
Text Content & Visual Highlights
Side A — 1 Samuel 9–10:
Records the fateful meeting between Samuel and Saul, including Samuel's reception of Saul and the events leading into Chapter 10, where Samuel privately anoints Saul with a vial of oil.
The running headers include:
“Saul commeth to Samuel.”
“Samuel anointeth Saul. 139”
Side B — 1 Samuel 10–11:
Continues with the public gathering at Mizpah, where Saul is revealed and publicly selected as king. The narrative then transitions into Chapter 11, where Nahash the Ammonite besieges Jabesh-gilead.
The running headers include:
“Saul prophecieth. 1. Samuel.”
“He is chosen king.”
Woodcut Initials & Commentary:
The leaf features two prominent historic woodcut initials, including a decorative “T” opening Chapter 10 and another opening Chapter 11. The two-column biblical text is surrounded by substantial outer columns of the characteristic Geneva marginal commentary, providing both visual distinction and valuable insight into the reading culture of the period.
Condition
Layout:
The leaf retains its natural historic formatting, including its expansive sixteenth-century margins and original printed arrangement.
Paper Integrity:
The original heavy rag paper is crisp, strong, and highly stable, with excellent structural integrity and clean, well-preserved edges.
Patina & Appearance:
The leaf presents with an exceptionally clean, bright cream surface and minimal age toning. The strong ink impression remains crisp and provides excellent contrast against the paper, making the typography, woodcut initials, and marginal commentary particularly easy to appreciate.
This impressive large-format leaf preserves a pivotal episode in the biblical history of Samuel and Saul, while offering a remarkable physical example of sixteenth-century Geneva Bible printing. Its generous format, extensive marginal commentary, decorative initials, and exceptionally clean condition make it especially well suited for scholarly study or historic display.
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Collection Reference: AS-1035
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