King James Bible 1754

5B King James Bible, Edinburgh Scotland, 1754

Notes

The King James Bible (KJB), first published in 1611, is one of the most significant translations of the Bible into English. Commissioned by King James I of England, it was the result of the work of a committee of scholars and translators. Its majestic language and literary quality have made it one of the most enduring and influential texts in Western history.

In the mid-1700s, Edinburgh, a center of intellectual and cultural activity in Scotland, played a key role in the dissemination of the King James Bible. The printing of Bibles in Edinburgh was a part of the broader Scottish religious and cultural movements, including the rise of the Presbyterian Church and the Scottish Enlightenment. Several notable printers in Edinburgh, including Robert Freebairn, John and William T. Auld, and James Watson, printed the King James Bible during this period.

Edinburgh’s printing presses became an important venue for Bible production, often producing large, high-quality editions of the KJB. The mid-1700s also saw the development of beautiful, ornate editions of the Bible, often bound in leather and embellished with gold leaf, which were aimed at wealthy patrons and religious leaders. These editions were frequently produced with detailed frontispieces, maps, and indexes, making them valuable not only for religious study but also as luxurious possessions.

The availability of the Bible in Scotland was a key part of the broader religious and educational movements in the 18th century, with the King James Bible being central to the teaching and spiritual life of the time. It was widely used in both Protestant worship and personal study, and its influence in shaping the religious and cultural landscape of Britain and its colonies cannot be overstated.

Edinburgh’s involvement in printing the King James Bible in the 1700s highlights the city’s important role in the spread of literacy, religious thought, and the development of the book as a material object in the Enlightenment era.

Description

Ornate gilt designs cover the spine, front, and back brown leather boards of this Bible with five raised bands, gilt turn ins, gilt edges, and marbled endpapers. General wear to the leather binding with creasing and minor cracking along the spine hinges, bumping to the corners and very minimal foxing to some sections of interior pages. Three inscribed pages in the beginning with dates 1763, 1765, and 1787. Great condition overall.