[The Book of Deuteronomy in the Kannada language of southwestern India] [Hands, John; Reeves, William, et al., translators]

The Deuteronomy in the Kannada language of Southern India [Bible] [Hands, John; Reeves, William, et al., translators]. [The Book of Deuteronomy in the Kannada language of southwestern India]. S.a. [c.1830]. S.l. [Bellary (i.e. Ballari)]. Mission Press. 8vo, (210 x 135 mm). 130 pp. Contemporary marbled calf , upper board with blind-stamp of the Auxiliary Bible Society, Madras, spine ruled in gilt and edges speckled blue, a few minor scuffs and hinges cracked. Front flyleaf with tiny insect damage at top corner, the word 'Deuteronomy' is inscribed in pencil in a fully contemporary hand at head of first page of text; clean throughout, a very good example. Exceptionally rare work printed entirely in the in Kannada language in Tigalari script containing of the Deuteronomy. Along with Tamil and Telugu, Kannada is one of the three principal languages of South India. The first translation of the Bible into Kannada, undertaken by the missionaries at Serampore, was apparently completed by 1809, but the manuscript was lost when the Serampore press was destroyed by fire in 1812. Between 1812 and 1831 the complete Bible was translated and published, issued in separate parts without title pages. Translators included John Hands, who had founded the London Missionary Society station in Bellary in 1810, and William Reeve (at Bellary, and at Bangalore). Provenance: front pastedown with old bookseller label of F. & R. Chamonal, Paris. Darlow & Moule, 5871.