Rare bay psalm book goes on view at sothebys the new. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for between fifteen and thirty million dollars, which would make it the most expensive book in the world. According to the sotheby website entry, the pages come from the 15th century printing of the good book, specifically the old testament book of esther. In fact, only slightly more than half of the 117 lots offered on auction at sothebys western manuscripts and miniatures and the korner sale found new owners. Woodcut illustration on a1v of tenor of the whole psalmes in foure partes whiche may be song to al musicall instrumentes, set forth for the encrease of vertue. 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.
It was the first book printed in british north america. Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the sothebys international realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. About sothebys international realty affiliates llc. A copy belonging to bostons old south church will be auctioned by sothebys on nov. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. W4r from the harvard copy of the bay psalm book, showing a contemporary emendation to psalm 87, verse 6. The bay psalm book was the first book printed in the colonies and the first book printed in english in the new world. Join david redden director, special projects, and selby kiffer senior specialist, special. 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.
Peter wilson and the postwar art world, which contains 54 memoirs by collectors, dealers and former colleagues of wilson, is the fullest account of his life and achievements to date. The bay psalm book sets world record at auction us news. Threetime wine writer of the yeartom stevenson updates and enriches his awardwinning visual guide to the wines of the world. This sothebys special, or ogle special, was used on the show circuit, where it made its official public debut as the crown jewel of the 1972 montreal motor show. Back in april, we told you about an extremely rare book going up for auction from sothebys, expected to sell for millions. The reception and continued significance of the bay psalm. The bay psalm book was the first book to be printed in north america, twenty years after the arrival of the pilgrims in massachusetts. Discover book depositorys huge selection of sothebys books online. James bliss austin, property from the collection of lydia winston malbin, property of a new england collector, property of various owners, the freidus collection of baroque book illustration.
Beautifully illustrated with more than 400 images and 100 brandnew national geographic maps, this definitive guide is arranged geographically to highlight the regions and climates. From the old world to the new, including all the emerging regions, pick up the latest on all the wineproducing areas across the. According to msn, one of the 11 surviving copies of the. Peter watson published this book at the end of 1997. The bay psalm book was intended as a utilitarian book for the common people in a way that the gutenberg bible surely was not, and copies were subjected to hard and constant use. Books by tom stevenson author of the new sothebys wine. Courtesy, houghton library, harvard university vault stc 2738 3. Rare biblical manuscript eludes sothebys sale luxury. The psalms in it are metrical translations into english.
A london printer, stephen daye, came with the press and established a printing office in cambridge. The bay psalm book, as it is known, is essentially sacred text to be sung during the liturgy. Tom stevenson has 33 books on goodreads with 1164 ratings. Q2r from the bay psalm book remaining at the old south church, showing the unique reading in psalm 69, verse 23 see page 39. Written by maureen maryanski, reference librarian for printed collections. The bay psalm book, as this work is commonly known, is the first book printed in british north america. Fully updated and revised for the first time since 2011, this new 800page edition of sothebys wine encyclopedia reflects the most recent trends in the dynamic world of wine, written by experts around the globe. Watsons book sparked several stories including a feature on 60 minutes. 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 new sothebys wine encyclopedia by tom stevenson. After making its rounds, the aston was stripped for parts, and sold, where the owner squirreled it away into a garage for 43 years.
Sothebys operates as an auctioneer of authenticated fine and decorative art, jewelry, and collectibles in the united states, the united kingdom, china, france, and internationally. The bay psalm book, printed in an original edition of 1,700 in cambridge in 1640 by stephen daye, was intended as a closer paraphrase of the hebrew original than the one the puritans brought from england, and was quickly adopted by nearly every congregation in massachusetts. As the first printed book in america, the bay psalm book was an early harbinger of american independence. Bay psalm book article about bay psalm book by the free. Bay psalm book, first book printed in america, sells for. The bay psalm book is the first book to be published in the us, one of. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Let bidding begin for the bay psalm book from 1640 the. 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.
Today, sotheby s will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. Sothebys sells fragment of gutenberg bible artnet news. Speculations on the sale of the bay psalm book rare. The bay psalm book is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in cambridge, massachusetts. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. The decision to print a book of psalms metered for singing may seem an odd choice as the first book to be printed by the settlers of massachusetts bay, but this modest book served the larger purpose of the colonyto live within the reformed church. Only 11 copies of the bay psalm book survive in varying degrees of completeness. New york october 22, 2001 by sothebys and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Featuring a regional best wines chart, a troubleshooters guide to potential wine faults, and a taste chart to identify flavors in a wine, this definitive, updated, geographically organized encyclopedia of wine identifies wines made in france, germany, italy, spain, portugal, africa, australia, new zealand, north and south america, and the far east. When you stand in front of a work of art in a museum or exhi.
Last week, bostons old south church voted 274 to sell one of its two remaining copies of the 1640 bay psalm bookone of the most historic volumes in american religious history. The whole booke of psalmes faithfully translated into. David bellingham faculty london sothebys institute of art. Thats a wrap the battered bay psalm book is just 6in by 5in, riddled with printing errors and poorly bound. The 1640 cambridge, massachusetts, whole booke of psalmes, or bay psalm book.
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