Friday’s snapshot from Special Collections …

I don’t know too much about this little book of Psalms from the Finzi Book Room in Special Collections at University of Reading … it is just so tiny at 2 x 3 inches.  A perfect book, published in 1708 with traditional leather binding, an engraved image and gilt edges to the pages in perfect proportion. This is much as I know; it is readable but not easy in poor light so perhaps it was not made for normal use.

I can add some new information from I think a very reliable source and I quote “Certainly interesting – although I’m not sure I can add too much information. It is certainly associated with the followers of John Calvin. It might be a copy of the Genevan Psalter, which first came out in 1539. It’s intended for use as a hymnbook, containing metrical versions of the biblical Psalms and possibly some other stuff”