The last time a bay psalm book was up for auction was in 1947. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Selby kiffer, senior vice president and international senior books specialist for sothebys new york. Published in 1640, the bay psalm book is a sacred text meant for regular public worship. Thats a wrap the battered bay psalm book is just 6in by 5in, riddled with printing errors and poorly bound. Nov 27, 20 the bay psalm book, which was auctioned tuesday at sothebys in new york city, set an auction record for a printed book, according to the associated press. Rarest american book at auction fine books and collections. Apr, 2021 the bay psalm book the first book printed in british north america is another highlight of the collection.
It contains psalms and spiritual songs followed closely by the puritans. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america. Originally published in 1640 as the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english metre. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the new.
The bay psalm book sale view auction details, bid, buy and collect the various books, manuscripts and artwork at sothebys art auction. As the boston globe notes, the bay psalm book was first printed in 1640 in cambridge, mass. The translations are not particularly polished, and none has remained in use, although some of. The bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme.
This bay psalm book now belongs to financer and philanthropist david rubenstein who plans to loan it to various libraries across the united states. The bay book of psalms, printed in cambridge, massachusetts, in. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. One of the greatest artifacts of american history the bay psalm book, will be auctioned at 7pm on the 26th day of this month at sothebys in new. Apr 02, 2021 a unique copy of the earliest obtainable american edition 1693 of the bay psalm book. It was bought by us businessman and philanthropist david rubenstein, who plans to lend it to libraries around the country. Search the worlds information, including webpages, images, videos and more. The book is in its original binding, with the title page signed by mather.
States, the bay psalm book is known today in only eleven copies, of which three may. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. Book believed to be first one printed in the us sells for. Today, only eleven copies are still in existence and fetch as much as fourteen million dollars at auction, making it also the most expensive book in the world. Rubensteins copy, which has been rebound, is complete and one of the six copies that includes the original title page. This is the auction catalogue from 1947the last time a bay psalm book was seen at auction. It sold for 33 million us dollars to the auction s high bidder.
May 19, 2016 the copy of the bay psalm book used to create the pdf additional files and the flipping book the read online button is one of 11 copies of the first edition known to exist and one of only four perfect copies. In november 20, philanthropist david rubenstein purchased this copy of the bay psalm book at auction. Nov 25, 20 today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. The translations are not particularly polished, and none has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung have survived for instance, old 100th. It was reportedly a very popular book in its time and was used by congregations across the massachusetts bay colony. Aug 17, 2016 this facsimile of a rare first edition includes a companion volume, the enigma of the bay psalm book, which provides an academic study of the psalters history and contents. The bay psalm book is believed to be the first book printed in what is now the us. Bay psalm book from 1640 breaks auction record for printed volume. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free.
Bay psalm book, and americas first printing press boston book. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. The most expensive book sold at auction the bay psalm book. Nov 25, 20 the first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday. The first edition of the bay psalm book was printed. The seller of lots with this symbol has been guaranteed a minimum price from one auction or a series of auctions. It was transferred to the huntington library as part of the establishment gift in 1919. It was acquired by an antique book store in boston in 1872. The bay psalm book is the first book to be published in the us, one of only eleven surviving copies of the volume printed in cambridge, ma. The bay psalm book, believed to be the first book published in what became the united states, was sold on tuesday at sothebys in manhattan.
Nov 16, 20 let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 jeff d. Psalms into english meeter, for his approbation, and cotton may have adapted some of these for the bay psalm book. A seventh edition of the bay psalm book, the first book. Makholm resigned as historian of the old south church in boston when it decided to sell a copy of the bay psalm book.
The book contains 150 hebrew psalms, translated by john cotton, richard mather, thomas welde, john eliot, and others. It was the first time in more than sixtysix years that a copy of this rare book was sold on the open market. Jan 26, 2016 the witch book, which was later owned by descendants of one of the people hanged after the trials, is a previously unknown seventh edition of the bay psalm book, dating to the late 1600s. The auction for the copy of the whole booke of psalmes thats become known as the bay psalm book finally happened last week, and billionaire david m. Join david redden director, special projects, and s. A 1693 copy of the bay psalm book, the only known survivor of the seventh edition. Title page of the copy of the bay psalm book held by the beinecke rare book and manuscript library a page of the bay psalm book in the houghton library. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the. Bay psalm book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what youre looking for. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. Auction house sothebys has sold a book, believed to be the first printed in. En route to sothebys, bay psalm book traces nations. Both books are encompassed in this single volume, offering readers and collectors a personal edition of a major icon of book history and a great artifact of american culture.
It was the first book printed in british north america. The main thing you need to know right now about the bay psalm book is that a copy of it is up for public sale for the first time since 1947. Stephen daye issues the bay psalm book, the first book written. Bay psalm book auction smashes record for print book with. If every lot in a catalogue is guaranteed, the conditions of sale will so state and this symbol will not be used for each lot. By joel silver joel silver is director and curator of books at the lilly library, indiana university, bloomington, indiana. Feb 05, 2016 the book was part of the printed and manuscript americana auction lot. Psalm 4 oxford tune 1 a not call, turn part sin, jus men lord up, tice, my hath but when glor set do dis will cious ious of my sons or know the stir red to for con. The bay psalm book the first book printed in america is. Huntington acquired a large portion of churchs library, including the bay psalm book. Known as the bay psalm book, it was also the first book printed in english in the. What you need to know about the bay psalm book christianity. The crowninshieldstevensbrinleyvanderbiltwhitney copy of the bay psalm book. It marked the highest price ever paid for a printed book, and the last public trade of a copy of the bay psalm book.
Less than a month prior to the sale of the bay psalm book, sothebys london sold a. The psalter was a translation of the book of psalms by a group of wellknown puritan ministers. A copy of john james audubons birds of america was the previous record. Learn more about the bay psalm book and the first printing press in the new. As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. A shrewd bibliophile, rosenbach came to be the most formidable bidder of his time at auctions in the u. Old south church is selling one of its two copies of the rarest book in the world, the bay psalm book, pictured above in the hands of church. The first bookform print of the declaration of independence. Old south church announces auction house for 1640 bay. Prior to the auction on november 16, 20 the new york times published an. The bay psalm book was published in 1640, more than a century and a half after the first gutenberg bibles and 20 years after the pilgrims had. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new york.
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