1853 Victorian Family Bible

6B Complete with Old and New Testaments. Oxford: University Press, 1853. 

Notes

The Holy Bible has been one of the most widely printed books in history, with the advent of the printing press in the fifteenth century—most notably the Gutenberg Bible—marking a turning point in its dissemination. Over the centuries, English translations such as the King James Version of 1611 became central to religious life in the English-speaking world. By the nineteenth century, advances in industrial printing and publishing greatly increased the availability of Bibles, allowing them to be produced in a wide range of formats. This period saw a shift from purely ecclesiastical texts to volumes intended for personal and household use, reflecting both the growing literacy of the population and the importance of the Bible as a fixture in everyday family life.

Victorian family Bibles, particularly those produced in the mid-to-late nineteenth century, were often designed as substantial and visually impressive volumes intended to be displayed and preserved within the home. Many include family record sections for documenting births, marriages, and deaths within ones genealogy. These pages were often carefully filled in over generations, transforming the book into both a sacred text and a personal historical record. Produced in large numbers to meet high demand, Victorian family Bibles remain valued today for their decorative appeal and intimate glimpse they offer into the lives and histories of the families who owned them.

Description

Light brown leather binding with golden metal clasp and corners. Five raised bands with gilt lettering in second compartment. Embossed borders to boards and spine. Marbled endpapers. Preliminary family genealogy pages filled in with neat handwriting in black ink. No illustrations. Very find condition.