c1880 Victorian National Family Bible John Eadie Gustave Dore Leather Brass

c1880 Victorian National Family Bible John Eadie Gustave Dore Leather Brass


The Illustrated National Family Bible with the Commentaries of Scott & Henry

Edited by Rev. John Eadie, D.D., LL.D.

Cassell & Company, London

Circa 1880 – Victorian period


A superb and highly decorative late 19th-century Victorian family Bible, dating to approximately c.1880, edited by the noted Scottish biblical scholar and theologian Rev. John Eadie (1810–1876).


This is a particularly impressive large-format family Bible, bound in substantial dark leather with raised bands to the spine, gilt lettering and decorative blind tooling. The front board features a large embossed and gilt “HOLY BIBLE” cartouche and ornate brass corner furniture/clasp fittings.


The beautifully printed decorative title page reads:


“The Illustrated National Family Bible with the Commentaries of Scott & Henry, containing many thousand Critical & Explanatory Notes, edited by the Rev. John Eadie, D.D., LL.D., Professor of Biblical Literature to the United Presbyterian Church.”


The Bible is extensively illustrated and includes full-page black-and-white engravings associated with Gustave Doré, including Abraham Journeying into the Land of Canaan, together with attractive full-page colour biblical plates, including The Captive Maid – II Kings V.


The volume also contains the wonderful original Victorian family record and Family Portrait Gallery pages. Several contain period handwritten genealogical information relating to the Parsons family, recording family births, marriages and deaths, with entries continuing into the early decades of the 20th century. Other portrait spaces remain unused.


There are also further historic handwritten inscriptions to the inside cover and an old religious tract retained within the book, adding considerably to its character and social-history interest.


Condition


A genuine antique Bible approximately 145 years old, so please expect age-related wear.


The substantial leather binding remains extremely decorative and displays very well. The spine retains its raised bands, decorative tooling and gilt “The National Family Bible” lettering.


There is rubbing, scuffing, cracking and general surface wear to the leather, with more noticeable wear/loss along the front hinge/joint and around the extremities. The brass furniture has age-related wear and tarnishing.


Internally there is expected toning, occasional marks, and general signs of use. There are historic handwritten family entries and inscriptions as described above.


Please study all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description and condition report. Due to the age and size of the volume, I have not attempted to collate every individual page or plate.


A wonderful decorative and historical object in its own right, as well as an interesting example of a Victorian illustrated family Bible, combining impressive leather and brass binding, biblical artwork and over a century of recorded family history.