1874 A.J. Holman Deluxe Pictorial Family Bible — American Institute Award
A substantial 1874 A.J. Holman & Co. Deluxe Pictorial Family Bible, published in Philadelphia and distinguished by a remarkable collection of original historical features.
Beyond the impressive scale and elaborate Victorian binding, this particular volume preserves several pieces of history that make it especially compelling: an original 1873 American Institute award imprint, its original functioning brass clasp, an intact foldout engraving of Jerusalem, a handwritten 1883 family letter from Richmond, Virginia, and a family genealogy documenting the Williams and Joy families across nearly nine decades.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE AWARD — 1873
Bound within the volume is an original engraved award imprint commemorating recognition given to A.J. Holman & Co. by the American Institute of New York in November 1873 for excellence in illustrated Family Bibles.
The award predates the Bible's 1874 edition year by only one year, providing an interesting connection between Holman's publishing history and this particular edition.
ORIGINAL BRASS CLASP
The Bible retains its original heavy ornate brass clasp, complete and fully functional.
The substantial hardware was designed to secure and compress the massive volume when closed and remains an integral part of the original binding.
DELUXE GOTHIC REVIVAL-STYLE BINDING
The volume is housed in an imposing original leather binding featuring a deeply recessed, panel-stamped architectural design characteristic of elaborate Victorian bookbinding.
The spine incorporates raised horizontal bands with extensive gilt decoration, while the binding retains substantial amounts of its original gold-leaf ornamentation.
JERUSALEM FOLDOUT & HISTORICAL MAPS
Among the illustrated contents is a magnificent large panoramic foldout engraving of Jerusalem, which remains intact.
The volume also contains detailed engraved historical maps, including maps depicting the Mediterranean region.
The preservation of the large foldout is an especially appealing feature for collectors, as these oversized illustrations were naturally more vulnerable to handling and damage over generations of use.
1883 HANDWRITTEN FAMILY LETTER
Tucked inside the Bible is an extraordinary piece of original family ephemera: a two-page handwritten letter dated November 7, 1883, written by Elizabeth Francis of Richmond, Virginia.
The letter discusses family circumstances, local railroad work, and aspects of everyday life in the 1880s.
Unlike printed material added to a Bible at the time of publication, this letter provides a direct handwritten connection to the people and world in which the Bible was actually being used.
NEARLY 90 YEARS OF FAMILY HISTORY
The printed family registry has been filled with beautiful 19th-century handwriting documenting the Williams and Joy families from approximately 1830 through 1919.
The records include births, marriages, and other family information, with locations including Hanover County and Bells Island.
Together with the 1883 letter, these handwritten records transform the volume from simply an old printed Bible into a tangible record of several generations of family history.
COMPLETE TEXT & CONTENTS
This volume is 100% complete and contains:
Old and New Testaments in the traditional King James Version text
Historical Apocrypha
Complete Biblical Concordance
Psalms of David in Metre
Historical and biblical illustrations
Engraved maps
Large foldout engraving of Jerusalem
Family registry and portrait sections
CONDITION
For a massive Bible dating to 1874, this volume has been remarkably well preserved while retaining honest evidence of its age and historical use.
Exterior Binding & Spine
The original binding retains bright and extensive gilt decoration. The front board remains firmly attached, although there is a developing split in the exterior leather hinge extending several inches upward from the bottom. The volume should therefore be handled with appropriate care.
There is also expected shelf rubbing and some leather loss around portions of the spine head and tailcaps.
Interior Pages
The pages remain remarkably bright, crisp, and clean overall. Some areas display normal yellow toning associated with age, but there is no heavy foxing or significant damp staining.
The three exposed page edges retain their brilliant original gold-gilt finish.
Interior Flaw
The color-illuminated Ten Commandments page has a closed tear extending upward from the lower inner gutter margin. It remains part of the text block and does not detract from the historical contents of the volume.
Family Portrait Section
The integrated cardboard Family Portraits section at the rear shows evidence of historical use. Several photograph-entry slots have tears, with some fraying around the window borders and mild age toning.
These imperfections are disclosed as part of the Bible's present condition and are consistent with a family volume that was used and preserved across generations.
A BIBLE WITH A FAMILY STORY ALREADY WRITTEN
What distinguishes this 1874 Holman Family Bible is not simply its impressive size or elaborate Victorian craftsmanship.
It carries multiple layers of history: a publishing award from 1873, the physical craftsmanship of its original binding, an intact panoramic view of Jerusalem, generations of handwritten family records, and an original 1883 letter that offers a glimpse into everyday life in nineteenth-century Virginia.
It is a volume that has already served as a keeper of family history—and now offers a collector the opportunity to preserve that history for the next generation.
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Publisher: A.J. Holman & Co.
Place of Publication: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Edition Year: 1874
Format: Deluxe Pictorial Family Bible
Binding: Original heavy leather with architectural panel stamping and gilt decoration
Hardware: Original ornate brass clasp, functional
Page Edges: Gilt on all three sides
INQUIRIES
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Collection Reference: AS-1001
Every page has a story. Every story deserves to be preserved.
📜 Preserving History • Inspiring Faith • Connecting Generations.