. The Alternative to Facsimiles .
We develop Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation era Reproduction Bibles in English that are richly decorated in vibrant color, and with some illuminated in shimmering gold and silver. Medieval manuscript Bibles, which were produced prior to the printing press, took three years and longer to complete. Though we live in a digital age, developing a Reproduction Bible from the ground up also takes a considerable amount of time, because our work is carefully researched, prototyped, and then painstakingly finished by hand. Our Bibles are digitally type set from scratch and printed on a high end laser printer to produce the best possible end result that is readable and intended for everyone willing to invest in the book of books for their library - the Bible.
We do not develop facsimiles as our primary focus. Quality facsimile Bibles are typically in Latin licensed by libraries or museums to niche European publishers. We do, however, develop some facsimiles in house. We are also a Value Added Reseller of historically significant facsimile Bibles produced by others, and we step in by handcrafting the much needed period leather binding. We also, from time to time, offer Protestant and Catholic historic family Bibles from the Civil War era when we can locate them.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Defining our terms about Bibles for clarity:
OFFERINGS
We currently have the following offerings:
c. 850 Viking Era Carolingian Gospel Books, 11" by 15" using the King James Version in Plain English with 31 lines per page. Viking era tour de force of Celtic, Frankish and Anglo Saxon styles. Just the four Gospels with Eusebian canons and Jerome's prologues. A Reproduction Bible. (Reproduction Bible currently being illuminated and burnished by hand. Coming soon).
c.1160-1180 Bible of Bernard of Clairvaux, in Six Volumes, produced at the Abbey in Clairvaux between the Second and Third Crusades. Monochrome color on 8 1/2" 1/2" by 11" sized pages, (Facsimile coming soon, one volume at a time. Volume I, the Five Books available now, to Educational and Religious non profits only).
c. 1320 Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, manuscript on vellum paper, rich vibrant colors, illuminated on 8 1/2" 1/2" by 11" sized pages. A Reproduction Bible. Now Available.
1460 Gutenberg Bible in English, developed from the ground up, 36 lines on 7 1/2" by 11" sized pages on exquisite laid cotton in two volumes in real leather period binding with raised bands. This is a medieval Bible reconstructed with all of the contents like the original. A Reproduction Bible.(Reproduction Bible final stages of color correction. Coming soon).
1540 The Great Byble of Henry the VIII, the First Authorized Edition, developed from the ground up, illustrated with period wood cuts. On 11" by 16 1/2" sized pages. This Bible comes from the intersection of the Protestant Reformation and the Renaissance periods and is in pre Elizabethan English. It is readable, riveting, and engaging. The "grandfather" to the King James version. (Reproduction Bible coming soon).
1560 Geneva Bible, First Edition, facsimile in large format in a real leather - calfskin - period binding with raised bands. (Facsimile. Contact for Special Order).
1611 King James Version, First Edition, facsimile in a real leather - calfskin - period binding with raised bands. On 8 3/4" by 11" sized pages. (Facsimile see below).
1769 Blayney Revision of the 1611 King James Version, facsimile in real leather - calfskin - calfskin - period binding with raised bands. On 11" by 15" sized pages. (Facsimile see below).
Many other projects have been thoroughly researched, planned, and are in the development pipeline.
We do not develop facsimiles as our primary focus. Quality facsimile Bibles are typically in Latin licensed by libraries or museums to niche European publishers. We do, however, develop some facsimiles in house. We are also a Value Added Reseller of historically significant facsimile Bibles produced by others, and we step in by handcrafting the much needed period leather binding. We also, from time to time, offer Protestant and Catholic historic family Bibles from the Civil War era when we can locate them.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Defining our terms about Bibles for clarity:
- A Historic Original Bible is a tangible work either in a museum, a rare book room of a library, or in a private collection. Smudges, cut and torn pages, and blemishes over time are common features. Some are Civil War era family Bibles.
- A Digitized Bible is a photographed bible that is posted online by museums, academic institutions, and libraries for public viewing.
- A Facsimile is a photographed bible of an Historic Original Bible that is a printed tangible work whether from a photograph or a digital file and then printed on a multi pass, laser, or digital printer. Some are sharp and crisp, and some are not so sharp and crisp.
- A Reproduction Bible is developed and type set from a clean slate based on an Historic Original Bible. A Reproduction Bible is not an Historic Original Bible or a Facsimile. A Reproduction Bible is super sharp and crisp.
OFFERINGS
We currently have the following offerings:
c. 850 Viking Era Carolingian Gospel Books, 11" by 15" using the King James Version in Plain English with 31 lines per page. Viking era tour de force of Celtic, Frankish and Anglo Saxon styles. Just the four Gospels with Eusebian canons and Jerome's prologues. A Reproduction Bible. (Reproduction Bible currently being illuminated and burnished by hand. Coming soon).
c.1160-1180 Bible of Bernard of Clairvaux, in Six Volumes, produced at the Abbey in Clairvaux between the Second and Third Crusades. Monochrome color on 8 1/2" 1/2" by 11" sized pages, (Facsimile coming soon, one volume at a time. Volume I, the Five Books available now, to Educational and Religious non profits only).
c. 1320 Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, manuscript on vellum paper, rich vibrant colors, illuminated on 8 1/2" 1/2" by 11" sized pages. A Reproduction Bible. Now Available.
1460 Gutenberg Bible in English, developed from the ground up, 36 lines on 7 1/2" by 11" sized pages on exquisite laid cotton in two volumes in real leather period binding with raised bands. This is a medieval Bible reconstructed with all of the contents like the original. A Reproduction Bible.(Reproduction Bible final stages of color correction. Coming soon).
1540 The Great Byble of Henry the VIII, the First Authorized Edition, developed from the ground up, illustrated with period wood cuts. On 11" by 16 1/2" sized pages. This Bible comes from the intersection of the Protestant Reformation and the Renaissance periods and is in pre Elizabethan English. It is readable, riveting, and engaging. The "grandfather" to the King James version. (Reproduction Bible coming soon).
1560 Geneva Bible, First Edition, facsimile in large format in a real leather - calfskin - period binding with raised bands. (Facsimile. Contact for Special Order).
1611 King James Version, First Edition, facsimile in a real leather - calfskin - period binding with raised bands. On 8 3/4" by 11" sized pages. (Facsimile see below).
1769 Blayney Revision of the 1611 King James Version, facsimile in real leather - calfskin - calfskin - period binding with raised bands. On 11" by 15" sized pages. (Facsimile see below).
Many other projects have been thoroughly researched, planned, and are in the development pipeline.
. Reproduction Bibles in English.
The Gutenberg Bible in English is 36 lines on 7 1/2" wide by 11" tall sized pages on exquisite laid cotton in two volumes that are each 3" thick at the spine in real leather period bindings with raised bands. This is a medieval Bible reconstructed with all of the contents like the original, which is the entire text in English of the medieval Bible with all of the prologues, prefaces, and arguments as well as all of the books of the Bible in the exact order in which they originally.
Approximately 180 folio sized editions were printed in Latin beginning in 1454 in Mainz, and about 14 letter sized editions were also printed beginning in 1460 in Bamberg. We have taken the typeface that was reproduced into a font in Europe, developed hand done letters as well, and used them with the Challoner revisions of the Douai Reims Version, a Roman Catholic translation done directly from Latin into English, in order to reproduce the Gutenberg Bible in English. Our Gutenberg Bible in English is based on the size of Gutenberg's Bamberg editions. The art, which was produced by hand, in house, was modeled on the Gutenberg Bible held by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. There is no Bible available like this in English. This is the first of its kind.
We finished the Gutenberg Bible in English in two volumes in July 2022. It took six years of conceptualizing, researching, assembling all of the elements from text to art, prototyping, developing, and color correcting. This was a remarkably challenging project, which required an inordinate amount of patience, focus, and dedication to bring to completion. Each step required for this project presented its own unique set of challenges, obstacles, as well as much longer than expected set backs.
The finished work with laid cotton end papers went to our book binder to put into an aged soft calf leather in French style bindings with raised bands on the spine. Our book binder was not up to the task of reproducing fifteenth century hand tooling for the covers due to the risk of producing a factory second, so we agreed upon a quite nice binding within his capabilities. The end result, however, is ineed quite specatcular given the natural camel colored and aged calf skin binding.
Each 7 1/2 inch x 11 inch volume is easily ten pounds. The cream colored laid cotton is exquisite and over the top when compared with your run of the mill mass produced Bible. The red and blue puzzle letters that open each book are spot on to the period.
In the pre covid world, supplies were readily available, costs were relatively low. Today, however, there are challenges as well as higher costs for acquiring the best possible papers for our work. As of our last inquiry, the paper that we had identified for this project was a laid cotton by Mohawk, which we understand at this point is no longer being produced. As a result of that we will be looking at laid cotton by Neenah as well as parchment, or vellum, imported from France.
Approximately 180 folio sized editions were printed in Latin beginning in 1454 in Mainz, and about 14 letter sized editions were also printed beginning in 1460 in Bamberg. We have taken the typeface that was reproduced into a font in Europe, developed hand done letters as well, and used them with the Challoner revisions of the Douai Reims Version, a Roman Catholic translation done directly from Latin into English, in order to reproduce the Gutenberg Bible in English. Our Gutenberg Bible in English is based on the size of Gutenberg's Bamberg editions. The art, which was produced by hand, in house, was modeled on the Gutenberg Bible held by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. There is no Bible available like this in English. This is the first of its kind.
We finished the Gutenberg Bible in English in two volumes in July 2022. It took six years of conceptualizing, researching, assembling all of the elements from text to art, prototyping, developing, and color correcting. This was a remarkably challenging project, which required an inordinate amount of patience, focus, and dedication to bring to completion. Each step required for this project presented its own unique set of challenges, obstacles, as well as much longer than expected set backs.
The finished work with laid cotton end papers went to our book binder to put into an aged soft calf leather in French style bindings with raised bands on the spine. Our book binder was not up to the task of reproducing fifteenth century hand tooling for the covers due to the risk of producing a factory second, so we agreed upon a quite nice binding within his capabilities. The end result, however, is ineed quite specatcular given the natural camel colored and aged calf skin binding.
Each 7 1/2 inch x 11 inch volume is easily ten pounds. The cream colored laid cotton is exquisite and over the top when compared with your run of the mill mass produced Bible. The red and blue puzzle letters that open each book are spot on to the period.
In the pre covid world, supplies were readily available, costs were relatively low. Today, however, there are challenges as well as higher costs for acquiring the best possible papers for our work. As of our last inquiry, the paper that we had identified for this project was a laid cotton by Mohawk, which we understand at this point is no longer being produced. As a result of that we will be looking at laid cotton by Neenah as well as parchment, or vellum, imported from France.
The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ. With the return of the Crusaders from the Holy Land, a revival of interest in the end of the age took place as evidenced by the number of manuscripts that were produced focused on the Apocalypse. This concern about the impending dissolution of all things was aided by Joachim of Fiore, who after a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1159 (between the Second and Third Crusades) returned to the Kingdom of Sicily where he devoted himself to the study of the prophecies of the Bible. During that visit, Baldwin III ruled the the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and kept at bay the Islamic threat posed by the Seljuk Turks and the Fatimids of Egypt. By 1200, Joachim of Fiore had to give an account to Pope Innocent III concerning his controversial understanding of prophecy and his belief that the Age of the Spirt would soon begin and end the Age of the Son in 1260. Joachim was not alone in his reading the end of the age being at hand due to the tumultuous world events, because in England alone, 50 known manuscripts of the Apocalypse were produced between 1250 and 1400.
Our work pictured here is a letter sized Gothic Apocalypse set in early Fourteenth Century England. The text uses the King James Version in Plain English. The stand alone book started in what is now Spain due to concerns of the Islamic presence. By the early 1300s, the Apocalypse was a common book for kings, queens, princes, and princesses in England and France contemplating a crusade. They dreamed of glory in the fight to free the land. The time period is in the aftermath of the Ninth Crusade. Bound in real leather with raised bands. Illuminated by hand in gold and platinum and burnished to a dazzling shine.
Our work pictured here is a letter sized Gothic Apocalypse set in early Fourteenth Century England. The text uses the King James Version in Plain English. The stand alone book started in what is now Spain due to concerns of the Islamic presence. By the early 1300s, the Apocalypse was a common book for kings, queens, princes, and princesses in England and France contemplating a crusade. They dreamed of glory in the fight to free the land. The time period is in the aftermath of the Ninth Crusade. Bound in real leather with raised bands. Illuminated by hand in gold and platinum and burnished to a dazzling shine.
Our Viking Era Carolingian Gospel Books in English is a large format Bible measuring 11" by 15" using the King James Version in Plain English with 31 lines per page. Contains prologues, book outlines, and the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This Viking Era bible circa 800 to 850 A.D. is true to look, feel, and size. Celtic, Anglo Saxon, and Frankish artistic and calligraphic elements come together. We have entered into the era of Charlemagne. Imagine Viking ships sailing up the Seine River to Paris as the people of the city lament, "Lord! Not again!" Here we see the birth of Europe take hold with two swords in hand with that of church preaching the eternal Gospel and that of the king defending the faith. Together, both labored to put the devils here on this earth beneath their heels. Bound in real leather with raised bands. Illuminated by hand in gold and silver. (Waiting on illumination and binding to be done. Coming Soon).
. Renaissance & Reformation Period Bibles .
1611 King James Bible, First Edition, Facsimile. Brown calfskin, smooth finish, in Roman type. Hand tooled on spine.
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1611 King James Bible, First Edition, Facsimile. Burgundy calfskin with black labels in Roman type.
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1611 King James Bible, First Edition, Facsimile. Black calfskin with red labels in Roman type.
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1769 Blayney Revision, First Edition, Facsimile. Burgundy calfskin, raised bands, Roman type on black cloth labels.
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Our planned Renaissance and Reformation period Bibles will be developed from the ground up. We will update the site as new projects come on line.
Some of our Reformation period Bibles are superb facsimiles produced by others where we step in as a Value Added Reseller by providing a hand crafted period binding in real leather - the way a real Bible of value is produced. See our 1611 King James Bible Facsimile in Period Binding. See our 1769 Blayney Revision of the 1611 King James Bible.
Some of our Reformation period Bibles are superb facsimiles produced by others where we step in as a Value Added Reseller by providing a hand crafted period binding in real leather - the way a real Bible of value is produced. See our 1611 King James Bible Facsimile in Period Binding. See our 1769 Blayney Revision of the 1611 King James Bible.
. Medieval Bibles .
Some say that they were Dark Ages. Where the light of the good book shined, the middle ages were illuminated in gold. The church secured a foothold amidst warrior kingdoms. And the Vikings, the Muslims, the Magyars, and the Mongols waged ongoing assaults on Western culture - hence the darkness of the age. For about three hundred years, European Christians shared the same prayer: "From the fury of the Norsemen, God deliver us." But, as it is written, the streets of the New Jerusalem are paved with gold. Our spiritual forefathers knew what that meant. The path to the heavenly city as described in the Bible was illuminated. Christendom held the light of the Gospel while outside the gates were thieves, liars, and murderers in need of redemption ... or condemnation. The prayers were answered, and the Vikings converted. They became the Normans along the western coast of France, conducted the Norman Invasion of England in 1066 and triumphed in the fabled Battle of Hastings, and also produced an Empire that stretched from the British Isles with pockets of small kingdoms spread across the Mediterranean to the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, which existed between the Second and Third Crusade.
. Authentic . |
. Value . |
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Our Reproduction Bibles do not come with verse numbers, because numbering sentences and clauses in the Bible appear in a much later period than the Bibles we produce. Our Reproduction Bibles are meant to be read chapter by chapter and, for those, who are quite familiar with the Bible, read as entire narratives. Moreover, our Reproduction Bibles are published with the all of the books in the order in which they appeared. Also, there are no foot notes, study guides, or cross references. Our Reproduction Bibles are meant to be read aloud or read in private as was the case thousands of years ago.
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A large format Reproduction Bible is a luxury item too hold, to read, and to browse. The history of richly embellished Bibles is a study in itself. Everything about them seeks to produce the best in service of God and the community of faith. Each era in Western history has experienced tensions between austerity and luxury. They took years to produce, Highly skilled scribes, artists, and illuminators contributed. Whether for your personal collection or as a bequest to your faith community of worship, we exist to produce Reproduction Bibles as treasured investments that underscore the values of our Western heritage.
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. Period Leather Bindings .
There is nothing more beautiful than a big beautiful Bible that has been hand crafted and finished with love, skill, and great care. Our Bibles are bound in real leather with raised bands and exquisite tooling and gold leafing on the spine. We offer either a red cloth label on black leather or a black cloth label on burgundy leather as pictured above. The end result is a masterpiece. The Bible is a treasure, and what we produce is of the calibre to be listed in a will. If you are looking for the real thing, go back to the originals, and invest in a real bible in a real period binding in genuine leather.
There is nothing more beautiful than a big beautiful Bible that has been hand crafted and finished with love, skill, and great care. Our Bibles are bound in real leather with raised bands and exquisite tooling and gold leafing on the spine. We offer either a red cloth label on black leather or a black cloth label on burgundy leather as pictured above. The end result is a masterpiece. The Bible is a treasure, and what we produce is of the calibre to be listed in a will. If you are looking for the real thing, go back to the originals, and invest in a real bible in a real period binding in genuine leather.
