{"product_id":"holy-bible-set-in-presentation-box-1855","title":"Holy Bible Set in Presentation Box 1854, 1855","description":"\u003cp\u003e6B Holy Bible with Old and New Testaments and The Book of Common Prayer. Oxford: University Press, 1854 and 1855. Pocket Sized Set in Two Volumes Housed in Presentation Box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Holy Bible has a long and complex printing history, beginning with early manuscript traditions before the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century. One of the earliest major printed editions was the Gutenberg Bible, produced around 1455, which marked the beginning of large-scale dissemination of the text. Over time, the Bible was translated into vernacular languages, with English versions gaining prominence through editions such as the Tyndale Bible in the sixteenth century and the King James Version of 1611, which became the standard text for English-speaking Protestants.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Book of Common Prayer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, first published in 1549 under the direction of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer during the English Reformation, is one of the most influential works in English religious history. Created to standardize worship within the Church of England, it replaced traditional Latin services with English-language prayers, sacraments, and liturgies accessible to ordinary worshippers. Revised several times, most notably in 1662, the book became a cornerstone of Anglican worship throughout Britain and its colonies. Its elegant prose profoundly influenced English literature and religious expression, while its prayers and ceremonies remain familiar centuries later.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy the Victorian era, advances in printing and binding allowed both the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer to be produced in a wide variety of formats, including finely made pocket-sized editions intended for personal use. These smaller volumes were often bound in leather, sometimes with gilt edges, decorative tooling, and even clasps, combining portability with craftsmanship. Designed to be carried and used regularly, they reflect the period’s emphasis on personal devotion as well as the growing ability of publishers to produce attractive, affordable books for a wide audience. Today, such editions are valued not only for their religious significance but also as examples of nineteenth-century bookmaking and everyday use.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNavy blue velvet with brass edges. Clasp on each. All edges gilt. Silk endpapers. Inscription in ink on second flyleaf dated 1890 on the Book of Common Prayer. Housed in maroon morocco box lined with padded silk on the inside. Gilt initials to top of box and brass closure. Fine condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Moons Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58033765122214,"sku":null,"price":1250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0173\/6563\/1040\/files\/camera-32CAE7E5-8C6F-4463-9F55-3795C3F7615A.jpg?v=1793816368","url":"https:\/\/moons-rare-books.myshopify.com\/products\/holy-bible-set-in-presentation-box-1855","provider":"Moons Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}