Lyon: Jean Tornasius (Ioan. Tornasium), circa 1558.
Small quarto (approx. 6.25 × 4.5 inches). Numerous woodcut illustrations. Latin text of the Biblia Sacra, printed in double columns in Roman type.
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An authentic mid-16th century Latin Bible, printed in Lyon, France by Jean Tornasius (Johannes de Tournes) — one of the major humanist printers of the French Renaissance. This early Biblia Sacra represents a transitional moment between medieval textual traditions and humanist scholarship, following the Vulgate translation as standardized by the Sorbonne.
This copy is an early post-Reformation edition, printed during a period of heightened religious tension between Catholic and Protestant printers. The surviving pages contain multiple woodcut illustrations depicting Old and New Testament scenes, typical of Lyonese printing workshops of the 1550s.
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Provenance & Historical Notes
Front pastedown bears an early armorial bookplate of Henry Shaw Henry, with a pencil note “1558” confirming the date of issue. The rear pastedown carries an intriguing ink inscription of “James Talbot”, with a later pencil annotation describing him as the “Last priest indicted for saying Mass” — a possible reference to Bishop James Talbot (1726–1790), the last Catholic priest formally prosecuted under the penal laws in England.
Stamped along the title border is “Bibliotheca FF. Capucinorum Lucernae”, indicating earlier monastic ownership by the Capuchin Friars of Lucerne, Switzerland.
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Condition • Binding: Original leather boards present but detached, with spine missing. • Leaves: Many leaves loose or displaced, some missing, but overall text block substantially intact. • Pages: Clean and legible, with moderate age toning and occasional marginal wear. • Woodcuts: Present and sharp. • Sold as-is for study or restoration.
Despite its fragility, this remains a rare survivor of a Renaissance Latin Bible — a true artifact of 16th-century scholarship and faith.
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Provenance Chain • Capuchin Monastery of Lucerne, Switzerland • Henry Shaw Henry, English private collector (19th c.) • James Talbot inscription (possible 18th c.)
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