Second enlarged, and first fully glossed, edition of the famed Estienne Bible. The work is "considered the earliest genuine attempt at a critical edition of the Vulgate text... it became practically the foundation of the official Roman Vulgate" (Schreiber). The first edition of this Bible was Estienne's first major work and "immediately established him as the most outstanding figure in the Paris book trade at the time" (Schreiber). The present copy is complete with the glossary and index, which appear as parts 3 and 4. It also includes the beautiful criblé initials by engraver Geoffroy Tory (1480-1533).
Robert Estienne (1503-1559) acquired Vulgate manuscripts during his years in Paris and printed numerous editions throughout his career, beginning in 1528. Unlike the first edition, the present edition includes marginal references, concise notes, and an extensive index of significant Hebrew words. It also contains Estiennes distinctive typographical symbols indicating words present in the Hebrew text but omitted from the Latin version, and vice versa. Notably, this edition is the first in which Estienne placed the Acts of the Apostles between the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles, rather than at the end of the volume, as was then customary.
With an annotation at the top of the title page, another in the middle of the title page, and a signature below. The front and back board are somewhat scratched. The title page has been reinforced in the margins (likely with the final blank of the second part, which is missing) to repair the tear in the bottom half, large ink stains in the inner margin of leaves 243-244 and 306-307 of the first part, a tear in the outer margin of leaf 7 of part 3, minor ink thumb prints on some of the leaves, each leaf has been ruled in reddish-brown ink, with manicules on some of the leaves. Otherwise in very good condition. Darlow & Moule 6112; Renouard, p. 35.1; USTC 181366; cf. Schreiber, The Estiennes, 37 (other ed.).