Holy Bible with Zip Closure

5W Holy Bible. Oxford; ca. 1950s

Notes

The Holy Bible is the sacred scripture of Christianity, divided into two main parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament, shared with Judaism, contains books of law, history, poetry, and prophecy written before the life of Jesus Christ, while the New Testament focuses on His life, teachings, and the early Christian Church. Comprising 66 books in most Protestant versions (more in Catholic and Orthodox canons), the Bible was written over centuries by multiple authors in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It is considered by believers to be divinely inspired and serves as the central guide for faith, morality, and spiritual life in Christianity.

Zippered Bibles, featuring a zip closure around the cover to protect the pages, were first introduced in the early 1930s. Cambridge University Press patented the design in 1933, making them one of the earliest publishers to combine the practicality of a zipper with the portability of a Bible. The innovation came at a time when zippers themselves were still relatively new and not widely used outside of clothing and select accessories. During World War II, zipper use was largely restricted to military applications, limiting production. After the war, Cambridge sought to extend its patent protection, and by 1950, a legal agreement allowed them a few more years of exclusive rights before other publishers began producing similar editions. These early zippered Bibles reflect a thoughtful blend of function and design, aimed at preserving the text while accommodating a more mobile and modern way of life.

Description

Black pebbled leather binding with zip closure. Gilt lettering to spine. Gilt edges. Printed on India paper.