The Bay Psalm Book

The Bay Psalm Book
First Book ever to be printed in the United States of America
Published by Stephen Day
Cambridge Massachusetts 1640





The oldest surviving book printed in what became the United States is, as is widely known, The Whole Booke of Psalmes, a.k.a the Bay Psalm Book. Eleven copies of it are known to exist. People get excited about it; they want to come and see it. It's American. It's really old, it's historic and it's part of America's history.

Bay Psalm Book - showing Psalms










Comedies and Tragedies of Beaumont and Fletcher
Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher
Never Printed Before
London 1647

After a long break.....

Nieuhoff, Johannes. 1763
An EMBASSY from the East-India Company of the UNITED PROVINCES, to the Grand Tartar Cham emperor of CHINA, deliver'd by their Excellencies Peter de Goyer and Jacob de Keyzer, at His Imperial City of PEKING. Wherein the cities, towns, villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from CANTON to PEKING, are ingeniously describ'd, by Mr. John Nieuhoff, steward to the AMBASSADORS.


Also an epistle of Father John Adams their autagonist, concerning the whole Negotiations. With an appendix of several remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher, English'd, and set forth with their several Scolptures, By John Ogilby Esq. His Majesties cartographer, geographical printer and maker of the rolls in the Kingdom of Ireland. The second edition. London. 1673.

Folio, 431 p. (28x42 cm.) 2 page map of China, 2 page plan of Canton, 46 engr. plates





Letters to a Married Woman 1792












Mona Antiqua Restaurata

An Archaeological Discourse on the ANTIQUITIES, Natural and Historical, of the ISLE of ANGLESEY. The Ancient Seat of the British Druids.

In Two Essays.

With an APPENDIX containing a Comparative Table of ?? words and Derivatives of them in several tongues of Europe with remarks upon them.



Together with some LETTERS and Three CATALOGUES added thereunso

1 Of the Members of Parliament from the County of Anglesey
2 Of the High Sheriffs and
3 Of the Beneficed Clergy thereof

By HENRY ROWLANDS vicar of Llanjdam in the Isle of Anglesey.

DUBLIN
Printed by AARON M?? for ROBERT OWEN Bookseller in ??
MDCCXXll (1722)

SOURCE

The Gutenberg Press

In this revealing documentary, Stephen Fry investigates the story of one of the most important machines ever invented - the Gutenberg Press.

The printing press was the world's first mass-production machine. Its invention in the 1450s changed the world as dramatically as splitting the atom or sending men into space, sparking a cultural revolution that shaped the modern age. It is the machine that made us who we are today.

Stephen's investigation combines historical detective work and a hands-on challenge. He travels to France and Germany on the trail of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press and early media entrepreneur. Along the way he discovers the lengths Gutenberg went to keep his project secret, explores the role of avaricious investors and unscrupulous competitors, and discovers why printing mattered so much in medieval Europe.

But to really understand the man and his machine, Stephen gets his hands dirty - assembling a team of craftsmen and helping them build a working replica of Gutenberg's original press. He learns how to make paper the 15th-century way and works as an apprentice in a metal foundry in preparation for the experiment to put the replica press through its paces. Can Stephen's modern-day team match the achievement of Gutenberg's medieval craftsmen?

UNFORTUNATELY - In 2012 I discovered that this entire documentary has been removed from Youtube - probably for Copyright Infringement.

A very great pity - it was a wonderful documentary!!!



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Philadephia Rare Books & Manuscripts

I have heard and seen various mentions of the Philadelphia Rare Books and Manuscript Company. But I have never seen their website - until today. WOW. They have tons of old and rare books.


Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Published in 1773.










Introduction to the Dictionary as written by Samuel Johnson in 1773





Samuel Johnson's Dictionary - Published in 1786 - 8th edition










Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - Published 1790










Not forgetting Leigh Hunt...
An author requested by Helene Hanff from 84 Charing Cross Road.
published 1801









Aristophanes Published in 1783

Vaulted Treasures of the University of Virginia

I found a whole website with LOTS and LOTS of pictures of old and rare MEDICAL books and title pages.
Vaulted Treasures.

Here are some of my favourites.


Galen, …De naturalibus facultatibus libri tres. 1537

Galen Page








Galen, In aphorismos Hippocratis commentarii septem… 1554











Liber canonis medicine. [Venetiis: In edibus Luce Antonii Junta, 1527.]

Avicenna Page








Hippocratis coi medicorum omnium longe principis, opera quae apud nos extant omnia. Lugduni: Apud Ant. Vincentium, 1555.

Hippocrates page