This 1597 Geneva bible is bound with several other works, including a Book of Common Prayer (ca. 1630) and a Book of Psalms (1595). The 1597 Geneva bible is famously known as the Breeches bible, because it translates the line about Adam and Eve covering their bodies after the fall as …
As regular readers of our blog will know, such books, which were much used and cherished, often feature both owner’s signatures and family history. The same is true in this case. The book appears to have moved from one family to another. Inside the binding, we find the inscription “Mary Smith her book” dated 1746 and a larger inscription, “Ann Pitt,” for 1764.
Elsewhere, next to the title page for the book of psalms, a genealogy is included, featuring a number of women, among whom are Ann, daughter of Mary Smith (born 1732), Mary born 1735, and Elizabeth born 1735.
Source: book offered for sale on eBay and Etsy, 1 December 2019, and reproduced with permission from the seller Isaiah Cox, Rare Tome.
Early Modern Female Book Ownership 