The Family Devotional Bible - 1860

Antique Family Bible This is an interesting, monumental English family Bible, likely from the second half of the 19th century. It is a richly produced edition of the Family Devotional Bible, accompanied by the Bible notes of the English preacher Matthew Henry (1662–1714). The handsome gold-coloured spine, the decorative binding and especially the ornate marbled cut indicate a precious edition that was originally meant to be kept in a family for generations. 1. Identification of this Bible Feature Title The Family Devotional Bible Bible text Old and New Testament, according to the English Authorised Version (King James Version) Bible commentaries Rev. Matthew Henry Publisher The London Printing and Publishing Company, Limited Place of publication London and New York Illustrations Steel engravings, historical images and maps Binding Richly decorated binding with gold-coloured spine and black title field Block of book Ornate, marbled cut Condition Visible signs of age and wear; based on the photos reasonably well preserved An important detail: the title page does not bear a year. That was not uncommon for such extensive Victorian Bible editions. 2. When was this Bible published? Around 1850–1860 The New York Public Library catalogues copies from the 1850s and circa 1860. A bookseller offers a similar edition dated to about 1860. Around 1870–1885 There are also later editions known. A scholarly publication mentions a copy tentatively dated around 1880. My provisional dating is circa 1850–1880, with a preference for the middle of the 19th century. A more precise dating is not yet warranted, as this title appeared in different forms for decades. 3. How large was the edition? Copies of this Bible bear the designations: * Eightieth Thousand — eightieth thousand. * One Hundred and Eighth Thousand — one hundred thousandth eight. * One Hundred and Forty-Seventh Thousand — one hundred forty-seven thousandth. The latter designation appears on a copy from the University of St Andrews, presumably from circa 1880. That means the publisher claimed a very wide distribution, possibly at least 147,000 copies or sets. However, it is not independently confirmed as a print-run figure. We also do not know how many copies of exactly this binding were produced. This Bible was therefore probably not a rare edition in the sense of a small print-run, but rather a valuable family possession. 4. Who used these Bibles? The Family Devotional Bible was primarily intended for Protestant families in Victorian England and other English-speaking regions. The Bible had multiple functions. It was used for reading aloud from the Bible, shared prayer, religious instruction for children and consulting the extensive commentary by Matthew Henry. Additionally, such a large book served as a status symbol. A finely bound family Bible often occupied a prominent place in the home. Particularly noteworthy is that some copies contain a so-called Family Register: pages on which marriages, births and deaths of family members were recorded. An offered copy, for example, contains family data from the period 1839–1906. 6. Extras The spine features a distinctive, almost entirely gold-coloured decoration with a repeated geometric pattern. The black title strip provides a beautiful contrast. In a photo, an ornate book edge is also visible. It appears to be a marbled or patterned-printed edge. That is a sign of extra attention to the finishing. There is some wear visible at the top of the spine and along the edges. The title page has a few age spots, probably foxing, as this is called in the book world. That is very common for a book of this age. This is an authentically looking, richly produced Victorian family Bible, probably about 150 to 175 years old. It is not a unique edition, but it is historically and bookbinding-wise an interesting object. Weight: 8.4 kg

Estimation:€1

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