In the year 1560 a group of English scholars who had fled to Geneva during the reign of Queen Mary I (“Bloody Mary”), set about the task of translating the Bible. This version, known at the Geneva Bible or “Breeches” because of the peculiar choice in rendering of Genesis 3:7*, quickly became one of the most popular translations the era. Brought to America on the Mayflower, this version was found in almost every Puritan household. It was the Bible read by William Shakespeare, John Donne, and John Bunyan.

Copies of the 1560-1665 editions are rare, but GenevaBiblePages.com makes it possible to own individual pages of these historic texts. The pages are available framed, mounted, or preserved in a transparent acid-free archival sleeve. The review copy I received was of a framed page from Ezekiel, published by Christopher Barker in 1599. The page is remarkably well-preserved, having been printed on linen rather than on paper like modern Bibles. Although slightly browned, the page looks like it could have been printed in the last century rather than 400 years ago.

The unmounted pages sell for $24.99 (including shipping), a reasonable price for an item that may have once belonged to our Puritan forefathers. The framed page comes in an 11" x 14" oak frame between 2 panes of glass, and highlighted in a black bevel cut double mat. While the frame is lovely, it is difficult to justify the $94.99 price tag. (For that price I'd recommend buying four unmounted pages.) Pages which were not suitable for framing have been cut in half vertically, encased in an acid-free archival sleeve, and made available as bookmarks (a set of 2 for $14.99 w/free ground shipping). The bookmarks would make a great low-cost thank you gifts for pastors and church leaders.

Pre-1640 King James Bible pages are also available in each of these formats.

Recommended for: Bible collectors; admirers of Puritan culture; history buffs; Reformed pastors

[Disclosure statement: GenevaBiblePages.com is a BlogAd sponsor of EO.]

*Genesis 3:7: (using modern spelling) "Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig tree leaves together, and made themselves breeches."