Customer Reviews

Holy Bible: King James Version, Bonded Leather, 1611 Edition

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not a replica of the first edition of the Authorised Version / King James Bible from 1611. That Bible was a large (folio) book printed in Black Letter gothic type, which is used here very sparingly.

What this is, instead, is a replica of an 1833 edition containing the original 1611 text, laid out on the page identically, which was originally made by Oxford University Press. The absence of long 's', which was universal in the seventeenth century, shows that this is a nineteenth century reprint. Long 's' here appears consistently in the page superscriptions, and in the Roman type prefatory matter that was in fact reproduced, but not in the text of the Bible itself, which was entirely reset in Roman type for the original of this facsimile.

That said, this is easily worth it in order to get the original pagination and spelling, which were revised substantially in the eighteenth century. It is quite an attractive package even if it is not the 1611 version.

I am honestly blown away by the lovely piece of history I hold in my hands when I open the 1611 KJV. It was a breakthrough for the English language and remains one of the most single influential works on our Anglo tongue. Anyone interested in English linguistics/history or Biblical studies, or anyone who wants to read the Word of God in a new and beautiful way should purchase this book. I believe it is one of, if not THE finest translation of the Greek/Hebrew texts.

As with my other reviews, I rate this product on translation, aesthetics, durability, size, and price.

Translation: The 1611 King James is a very accurate translation. I do not know Hebrew so I cannot comment on the Old Testament, but I hear secondhand that it is a solid and reliable translation. I do know Greek and translate parts of the New Testament, and I can say with some authority that the KJV is very accurate. Rarely is it awkward and clunky - on the whole, it is elegant and beautiful, a pleasure to read.

Aesthetics: This is a beautiful book. It is a facsimile, so as far as I can tell, the editors left it unchanged, save for some introductions, glosses, etc. I believe the font is unchanged, but perhaps I'm mistaken. The non-standardized spelling has been retained and is sometimes awkward, but I became used to it rapidly, and so will anyone who reads Shakespeare or the 18th Century revision of the KJV. The layout of the pages is very attractive and the notes are incredibly helpful. The book is hardbound and on the whole, very attractive.

Durability: I purchased it three months ago and have been reading it steadily. No wear or damage can be noticed. Granted, I take unusual care with books, but if you don't abuse it (turn those pages gently!) it will last for you. Be gentle.

Size: This edition strikes an admirable compromise between a pocket and study Bible. It won't fit on your back pocket but neither is it the mammoth tome you see in Mass. It is a perfect casual reading size.

Price: Considering all the other factors, I'm amazed the price was under thirty dollars. I would have paid almost double that for this edition. Snap it up before it's too late! Given the price restriction, I can't think of anything the publishers could do to improve their work.

For lovers of the development of the English language this is an excellent concept - here we have the original spellings, vocabulary, un-corrected errors, layout, punctuation and italicization. The only difference from the original KJV 1611 is that the Gothic print has been replaced by the Roman. That is probably a good thing.

Now the criticism: Whereas the external leather binding is sturdy and durable the internal pages present Major problems - they are ridiculously thin, far too flimsy and, even with very careful handling, will be prone to creasing/blemishes/shabbiness/and tears. A great shame as this detracts - in my view - from the worthwhileness of buying this particular Edition! Why on earth did not Hendrickson ( Publishers ) charge a little more so as to produce more robust pagination? After all, the Bible is to be read and used - not to stand un-touched on some shelf.

Overall I cannot recommend this version.

This Bible is an excellent reproduction of the original King James Bible, and is a good study tool to compare the dilution of meaning and intent in later translations.
It is NOT a good Bible for daily reading, as the typeface/fonts are very small.
I consider it a valuable addition to my collection of Christian books and highly recommend it.
Thank You for reading.
Gary
in Tampa

God forbid that I critique the contents of the Book. I would like to share the physical attributes of this surprisingly well-made Bible.

It seems that these days, books printed and bound in China exceed the quality of those printed elsewhere. There are dubious electronic products, toys and foodstuff from China, but a book is a pretty simple affair to judge. The binding is truly outstanding. The paper quality is way, way above average. The Chinese definitely have the advantage in paper quality. I applied strong shear forces to the bible and the binding remained "square". It is as tough as any pew bible.

The pages are well secured to the cloth stitched binding and are in no danger of being easily torn off. The pages
are smooth and feel thicker than those of an average bible. There is little "bleed-through" of the print from the reverse page. The print is solid. Some mass-produced bibles have print which look faded.

If you are going to highlight passages, only some of the yellow ink will show through on the reverse page, but it is a lot less than in most books with thin pages. The yellow highlight does not soak through and the reverse page does not get inadvertently and completely highlighted as well.

The Dust Jacket spine has a bright yellow label so this bible can be identified on a shelf from a distance. I routinely put a plastic cover on my book covers because of the tropical weather and industrial pollutants where I am living in. The pages seem to accommodate humidity well and the edges do not go wavy.

With the introductions and the Apocrypha, the New Testament occupies only the last one sixth of this Bible. This can be a plus or minus point depending on individual users.

The Apocrypha is placed between the Old and New Testaments. The print has been modernised. This is definitely not a facsimile of the 1611 KJV in the strict sense. A true facsimile is over 17 inches tall and should have the print in the original fanciful Gothic manuscript style: beautiful, but hard to read. (any first printing KJV auctions for over $400,000) This version has Roman print.

Unlike the larger and much heavier Gordon Campbell's version, it has normal white edges, while the Gordon Campbell 400th Anniversary version (from Oxford University Press and also printed in China) has gold gilt edges. Hendrickson Publishers has its own unremarkable prefaces to this bible and the Apocrypha therein.

The publishers should have uploaded some sample pages on the Amazon site.

This Bible handles well. It is as easy to hold as a pew bible. For a hard cover bible, it is rock solid and ready to be air-dropped into Afghanistan. This is a Bible which can see a lot of usage - as most bibles should.

I went ahead and ordered the hardback and I can assure you I was not disappointed. This Bible is beautiful and holds true to the KJV Bible.

If you want a wonderful tool to study the word of God, I would definitely buy one of these Bibles to add to your collection of study resources.

Length:: 2:02 Mins

Very nicely put together 1611. I was a bit hesitant to order it (I hesitated 3 times.) I ordered it anyway, and regardless of what you hear about the way the older Bibles are printed (xerox, photo copy, or whatever other methods). It looks wonderful. Great job. Get yours now.

I would recommend this particular bible for anyone looking for a 1611 edition KJV. The leather cover over hardback is nice and sturdy. The cost is very good for the quality. I am pleased with my copy.

You need this. It's beautiful and it's a steal for what you get. I've priced some true facsimiles and could not justify purchasing one but this is the next best thing. I purchased the hardback and it includes the apocrypha.