The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments and Apocrypha, Standard Edition, Illustrated, 1885

The “Standard” Edition of The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments and Apocrypha, Translated out of the Original Tongues, Together with Cruden’s Complete Concordance… and Revised New Testament, with Many Other Important and Useful Aids to the Study of the Holy Scriptures, All Written to Increase the Interest in and Simplify the Study of the Word of God. Syracuse: Bible Publishing House, 1885. Standard Edition. Illustrated with steel and wood engravings and chromolithographs. Large quarto, with original full leather carved and gilded boards. Gilded edges and pewter clasps. Presented with a custom-made archival clamshell box. 

Presented is a beautifully restored and exquisitely bound Holy Bible from 1885. This family bible was published by the Bible Publishing House, in Syracuse, New York. It contains both the Old and New Testaments, and the Apocrypha and Cruden’s Complete Concordance. It also boasts 100,000 marginal references and readings, Dr. William Smith’s “Standard Bible Dictionary,” a complete history of all the books of the bible, biblical scenery, and “Manners and Customs of the Ancients.” For studying, it includes “Bible Aids for Social and Private Prayer,” the history of translation of the bible, a history of all religious denominations, “Psalms in Meter,” and a “Teachers’ Bible Textbook.” It is decorated with stunning full and half page illustrations, printed as steel engravings, wood engravings, and chromolithographs, illustrating scenes in the life of Christ,  bible text events from Genesis to Revelation, natural history, and several maps of the Holy Land engraved by L.B Folger. It also contains a stunning dedication page, a marriage license, family portraits pages, and more.

This bible was produced as a family bible, to be handed down through a family with each successive generation. Family bibles were used as a marker of each married couple’s journey through life and the family’s history was commonly recorded in the bible. This bible features pages for presentation, marriages, births, family portraits, and more. The family pages of this bible are blank, and could still be filled in and used as originally intended by whoever purchases this bible. Family bibles, often very large and elaborately decorated, first came into popularity during the Victorian era in the United Kingdom. Afterwards, the family bible was seen throughout Europe and eventually made its way into American households.

This bible’s period binding is exquisite, with carved front and back full leather boards. The boards are intricately designed with beautiful gilt titles, gilt-tooled biblical scenes, and blind embossing. The spine has six gilt-tooled compartments, raised bands, and gilt titles. It is held together with two stunning decorative pewter clasps. 

The advent of the printing press encouraged the craft of books that the small, literate class valued as works of art. Intricately bound books fell out of style in the late 18th century, but in the late 19th century, a resurgence of sumptuously bound special editions of bibles, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and poetry countered the popularity of cheaper, popular dime novels. Several publishers sought to elevate the book back to a piece of artistry that would be cherished for generations to come, and used expensive leathers, handmade marbled boards, gilt details, metal clasps, and gauffered edges to do so. This is one such example of the exquisite book artistry created during that time. 

CONDITION:

Very good condition. Quarto. Original full leather front and back boards, carved, with gilt tooling, blind embossing, and gilt titles. The spine has raised bands, gilt titles, and tooling. Gilded edges. Two pewter clasps hold the bible together. 

Illustrated throughout, with black and white steel and wood engravings and full color chromolithographs. Blank family pages, to include a presentation page, marriage certificate, births, marriages, and family portraits. The marriage certificate is original, the presentation , births, deaths, marriages, and temperance are new facsimiles. Several original maps, engraved by LB Folger. Pages are healthy and in good condition. Some light foxing and toning throughout. 

The bible has been professionally restored and preserved. Bible is housed in a new, custom-made leather grained cloth clamshell case. Case is archival and features a gilt cross stamp to the front and gilt titles to the spine.