The Illuminated Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments. Translated out of the original tongues, and with the former translations diligently compared and revised. With marginal readings, references, and chronological dates. Also, the Apocrypha.

by Harper & Brothers

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Description

Boards/spine black moroccan leather with elaborate gilt framing, front cover with a biblical vignette; back cover with similar panel and vignettes of Rebecca at the well, five raised bands with decorated panels. This copy produced for Mary A. Lindsey, daughter of L. Lindsey, whose names appear on the front free-endaper in color ink/illustrtated bookplate. Leather is in sound condition but wear is apparent on tail and head of sopine. Hinges solid, binding tight, text block gilt on all sides & in near fine condition ... square and smooth ... as originally produced. Pages totally unmarked but foxed as befits the age of one the most elaborately produced Bibles in the United States. When the Harper firm published The Illuminated Bible near the midpoint of the 19th century, the company produced one of the most elaborate and costly American Bibles to that time. O'Callaghan says, "This work was originally announced in 1843, and was issued in 54 numbers at 25 each. J.A. Adams, the engraver, is credited with having taken the first electrotype in America from a woodcut. Many in this Bible are so done. Artists were engaged for more than six years in the preparation of the designs and engravings at a cost of over $20,000."The title's use of the word "illuminated" refers not (as usual) to decoration in gold, but both to the huge number of illustrations and to the fact that the half-titles, the title-leaves, and the presentation leaves are printed using colored inks. Concerning the illustrations, Frank Weitenkampf wrote in The Boston Public Library Quarterly (July, 1958, pp. 154-57): "The engravings after Chapman carefully reproduced the prim line-work method of the Englishman Bewick, introduced here by Alexander Anderson. [T]his Harper publication was a remarkable production for its time and place, and retains its importance in the annals of American book-making. W.J. Linton, noted wood-engraver and author, knew 'no other book like this, so good, so perfect in all it undertakes.' Pictures avaialble upon request.