First edition of the Clementine Bible. Edition of 500 copies. Engraved title page reading: Biblia sacra vulgatae editionis. Sixti Quinti Pont. Max. iussu recognita atque edita. Letterpress title page printed in red and black. Text in double columns. [12], 1131, [1, blank], 23, [1, blank] pp. 1 vols. Folio (349 x 250 mm). Full reddish-orange levant morocco, spine titled in gilt, raised bands highlighted in black, boards with single rule in black, dated 1957 on turn-in. Fine. Leather-tipped slipcase. Brunet I, 878; Darlow and Moule 6184; Adams B1101; P.M. Baumgarten, Neue Kunde von alten Bibeln, pp. 316-322. Provenance: W. A. Copinger (bookplate); General Theological Seminary, gift of Cornelius Vanderbilt and Dean Augustus Hoffman (bookplates).

Item #371810

First edition of the official text of the Catholic Bible issued under sanction of Clement VIII and therefore known as the "Clementine Bible," and superseding the controversial and suppressed edition of Sixtus V of 1590. The text is preceded by Cardinal Bellarmino's preface, the Decree of the Council of Trent on the canonical Scriptures, and a brief by Clement VIII.

“It is generally admitted that on the whole the Clementine text … is critically an improvement upon the Sixtine. … The Clementine Bible of 1592 remains to the present day the standard edition of the Roman Church” (Darlow & Moule).

Nice wide-margined copy of this notable edition.