St. Wenceslas Bible in Czech (Biblí cžeská), 1715 - Lot 42

St. Wenceslas Bible in Czech (Biblí cžeská), 1715 Printed in Prague by Svatováclavské dědictví (Legacy of St. Wenceslas), at the Venceslas), at St. Clement's College of the Society of Jesus, by Joachym Jan Kameniecký, 1715. First edition, third volume containing the first part of the Old Testament, from the book of Genesis to the book of Ecclesiastes. In-folio (35.5 x 22.25 cm), xxxii, 1263, xxvi pages. Red-black woodcut title, 85 copper engravings, mostly from the 4th edition of the Melantrich Bible 1570 with woodcuts by Francisco Terzia (1523-1591) and Florian Abel († 1565). Stamped sow-skin binding; functional brass clasps. Wormholes, stains and foxing, ink inscriptions on title page. A fine copy despite these minor defects. The St. Wenceslas Bible was the first book published by the St. Wenceslas Heritage Publishing House in Prague (Czech Republic). It was the first publication of a Catholic translation of the Bible Bible acquired by the Jesuits on the basis of the Latin Vulgate. The New Testament was the first part of the Bible to be published, accompanied by detailed interpretations from 1677 onwards. The Old Testament was translated in 1712 and 1715 in Prague's Old Town by the publishing house L'Héritage de Saint-Venceslas founded by Matěj Štajner, who, along with Jiří Konstanc and Jan Barner, took part in its revision. This Bible later served as the basis for other Catholic publications in Bohemia.