THE HOLY BIBLE. Sheffield: Joseph Gales, 1785. Folio, 14.5" x 9.5". Bound in period full reverse calf. With 16 engraved plates (of?) Apparently unrecorded, anomalies encountered upon collation. Begins [*]2, A2, C–3R2 continuous (to 1 Samuel 14:8), thereafter, the text is from a later printing printed on wove and with slightly larger type, no NT title but final leaf with imprint of J. Tregortha, Burslem. Furthermore, the plates present here are printed on wove and at least one is water-marked with the date of 1808. Thus, it appears that the plates and the remainder of the Bible (following 1 Samuel 14) are likely from the 1808 Burslem printing of "The Complete Family Bible" printed by Tregortha. The whole was obviously bound and trimmed together. Absence of records relating to a Gales Bible of 1785 suggest at least the possibility that Gales' Bible may not have been completed but was, in this case, 'completed' by a similar edition of the Bible and bound. Offered here as-is. ****************** Printer Joseph Gales (1761-1841) was facing arrest in England after being accused of distributing arms to supporters of political reform. He eventually fled England and arrived in Philadelphia, PA, in 1795. He worked as a printer and reporter before starting his own paper, the "Independent Gazetteer." ** Front blank with extensive family notes of the John Hawksworth Furness family.

One leaf with small hole removing some words from footnotes, a few closed tears, occasional light foxing, title a bit dust-soiled mostly clean, a few leaves with frayed edges. Binding with chips and spine panel torn and chipped. Sold as-is.