Audubons the original watercolor paintings for the birds of america, 1966. It was prepared by puritan leaders of the massachusetts bay colony. Thats a wrap the bay psalm book, the first book ever printed in british america, and the first book ever written in america. Nov 16, 20 but the bay psalm book, as it is known, has a special place in bibliophiles hearts, so much so that michael inman, the curator of rare books at the new york public library, said the auction was. W4r from the harvard copy of the bay psalm book, showing a contemporary emendation to psalm 87, verse 6. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. The bay psalm book visited houstons bayou bend in september for a oneday exhibition. The puritan divines of the massachusetts bay colony set out to produce a translation from the hebrew that was reflective of their unique brand of calvinism and more.
A memoir and dvd i love lucci sampler pickup available. It was the first time in more than sixtysix years that a copy of this rare book was sold on the open market. Those people who argue that print is dead just dont understand the business model. The bay psalm book is a religious and cultural manifesto of the puritan fathers and a towering icon of the founding of the united states. The communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. It will go on display in libraries across the united states.
Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. The first book printed in british north america is expected to set a world record at auction. National book auctions freeville, ny bid online at invaluable. Its a translation of the old testament book of psalms, valuable for its rarity and because it was printed in 1640, the first englishlanguage book printed in america. The celebration of this book is the impetus for the librarys exhibition. A list of editions of the bay psalm book or new england version of the psalms, in joseph sabin, bibliotheca americana 16 1885. Richard mather and a group of his fellow new england clergy transcribed biblical psalms into metered verse. Dec 01, 2003 the first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history. It was the first book printed in british north america. The psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, of the old and new testament. The bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein. The first book written and printed in the new world, the bay psalm book holds a unique place in our cultural and religious history.
This collection of psalm texts, rather than the bible itself, was the first volume published in the new world. 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 bay psalm book is a book of many firststhe first englishlanguage book in north america, the first book of american poetry, and the first instance in a long and vital history of printing in america. Nov 16, 20 the bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. The bay psalm book murder by will harriss goodreads. The enigma of the bay psalm book will provide an historical overview prior to the presentation of the actual text with its subsequent notes on the reproduction of the original material. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special. 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. New york, 12 april 20 on 26 november 20, sothebys new york will auction one of the finest surviving copies of the bay psalm book the first book printed in what is now the united states of america.
The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book. Sothebys auction house in manhattan, one of the 11 surviving copies of the bay psalm book, the first book printed in english in america and. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. What is the bay psalm book but did you know that the bay psalm book was first printed in the colonies in 1640 and in reissues remained in use for over 100 years. Courtesy, houghton library, harvard university vault stc 2738 3. A complete book of psalms in metered verse, it was the first book written and printed in colonial america. Later edition of the bay psalm book bay psalm book. For the use, edification and comfort of the saints in publick and private, especially in newengland. Nov 15, 20 as the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first booklength publication in. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english. The 1700 copies of the first edition provided puritans with a plain and familiar translation designed to represent more faithfully the hebrew psalms than did the version used by the. The singing of psalmes, though it breath forth nothing but holy harmony, and melody. Printed in cambridge, massachusetts, on a press set up by stephen day, it included a dissertation on the lawfulness and.
The bay psalm book is valued not only as an object of extreme. Ones for the books the bay psalm book, the first book to be printed in america, has sold at a. The bay psalm book 1 the lord to me a shepherd is, want therefore i shall not, he in the folds of tender grass doth make me down to lie to waters calm he gently leads restore my soul doth he he doth in paths of righteousness for his names sake lead me. The reverend jesse glover imported the first printing press to the massachusetts bay colony in 1638, some 18 years after the first english settlers landed at plymouth rock. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into english. The work, entitled the whole booke of palsmes faithfully translated into english metre, was published in seventeen hundred copies, of which only eleven survivefive complete and the others lacking a varying. The book is considered to have been the work of christian reformers seeking a. The volume was the bay psalm booka literary monument of the cultural and religious aspirations of the early settlers of the country. Bay psalm book, 1640, perhaps the oldest book now in existence that was published in british north america. Rare bay psalm book goes on view at sothebys the new york.
Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. Online book auctions vintage book auctions rare book. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance, sale. The translations are not particularly polished, and not one has remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung have survived for instance, old 100th. A committee of thirty learned elders, including john cotton, richard mather, and john eliot, set about the task of creating a new translation of the 150 hebrew psalms into. The most expensive book sold at auction the bay psalm book. A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge.
Lqdt operates a network of leading ecommerce marketplaces that enable buyers and sellers to transact in an efficient, automated environment offering over 500 product categories. A tiny book of psalms, printed in colonial america in 1640. Bay psalm book, the article about bay psalm book, the by. The bay psalm book is believed to be the first book printed in what is. The book is then recovered in the 21st century and auctioned off for 14 million dollars. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. Puritanism and the transformation of public life in new england. Census of copies of the bay psalm book, with provenance. The first book printed in what later became the united states of america is expected to set a world record at auction on tuesday. Rubensteins copy, which has been rebound, is complete and one of the six copies that includes the original title page. Dec 04, 20 a list of editions of the bay psalm book compiled by wilberforce eames, 1885. Bay psalm book auction smashes record for print book with. Originally, the colonys residents looked to a committee of thirty men led by john eliot, thomas welde, and richard mather to translate all 150 psalms from hebrew into english. To the chief musician, a psalm of david 1 the heavens do declare the majesty of god.
As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. National book auctions is a specialist auction house focusing almost exclusively on rare and collectible books since the 1990s. Psalm 23 bay psalm book scriptures good books free beta. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the new.
A list of editions of the bay psalm book compiled by wilberforce eames, 1885. Nov 25, 20 today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new. The first known example in what is now the united states was a simple printed label created by stephen daye, the massachusetts bay colony printer of the 1642 bay psalm book. Psalm 23 and the bay psalm book the music that shaped. Sign up to receive the book in your inbox daily at s. But the bay psalm book, as it is known, has a special place in bibliophiles hearts, so much so that michael inman, the curator of rare books at the new york public library, said the auction was. The buyer of the bay psalm book, as it is known, was david m. Jun 11, 2018 the communal singing of the psalms from the bay psalm book served to instill a strong sense of unity among puritans of the day. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. 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.
Rubenstein of the carlyle group, an investment firm in washington. The congregationalist puritans who emigrated to massachusetts bay in search of religious freedom quickly set about to translate and produce a version of the book of psalms that was a. The auction house is designed to make the most of an underserved market, offering increased marketing attention and fair prices for rare and valuable books that might otherwise go unnoticed and undervalued. Heath anthology of american literaturethe bay psalm book. In november 20, philanthropist david rubenstein purchased this copy of the bay psalm book at auction. Seller statistics will be provided as soon as they have completed at least 10 transactions. 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. The bay psalm book was the collaborative project of over twelve leading puritan divines and the first publishing venture of the massachusetts colony. Book published in 1640 sets a record at auction the new york.
The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. The bay psalm book sets world record at auction us news. A committee of thirty learned elders, including john cotton, richard mather, and john eliot, set about the task of creating a new translation of the 150 hebrew psalms into english and casting the text into verse for singing. Those seeking further information about the bay psalm book, its subsequent editions and various copies, would be well advised to consult eames 1885 bibliography a list of editions of the bay psalm book or new england version of the psalms. Dec 03, 2012 the bay psalm book is a key artifact in understanding the beliefs and practices of pilgrims, and the importance of music therein. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. When a librarian is found dead with a rare volume in his h. Jan 29, 2017 the whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated in to english metre 1640 also known as the bay psalm book was the first book length publication in the north american colonies.
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