1852–1853 Victorian Holy Bible – Ann Bramall Sheffield Provenance
1852–1853 Victorian Oxford Holy Bible – Eyre & Spottiswoode (Ann Bramall Sheffield Provenance)
Details
Publisher: London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS)
Year: 1852–1853, with an ownership inscription dated September 9, 1853
Provenance: Ann Bramall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
Language: English
Format: Sixteenthmo (16mo), “Nonpareil Ref. 16mo”
Description
A mid-Victorian Holy Bible (King James Version), printed in London by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, for the British and Foreign Bible Society.
The volume retains its original title pages, with the Old Testament title page dated 1852 (M.DCCC.LII.) and the New Testament title page dated 1853 (M.DCCC.LIII.). These internal dates establish the publication details of the respective sections.
The front blank flyleaf bears a beautifully flourished ownership inscription in elegant mid-Victorian black ink script:
“Ann Bramall, Sheffield. Septr 9th 1853.”
This contemporary inscription connects the volume to Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, during the Victorian era and preserves a personal trace of its nineteenth-century ownership history.
The text is printed in the specialized “Nonpareil Ref. 16mo” format, featuring compact dual-column typography and extensive center-column textual cross-references.
The Bible is incomplete at the end, with its final surviving text leaf ending at Revelation 21:16. This limitation is detailed in the condition report below.
Condition:
Binding: Bound in full, heavy black morocco leather with deeply blind-stamped ornamental frames on the front and rear boards, enclosing a decorative Gothic or medieval-style central diamond motif. The spine retains its original gilt lettering reading “HOLY BIBLE,” positioned between raised bands. The binding remains sturdy and stable and stands upright on its own. The exterior exhibits age-appropriate wear, including minor softening and small areas of chipping or leather loss along the top edge of the spine.
Edges: The text block retains its original, bright, burnished gilt finish across all three edges.
Interior and Paper Condition: The surviving pages are generally crisp, clean, and highly legible, with light scattered foxing in a few areas. The inscribed endpapers display authentic age patina, light edge-toning, and minor corner softening.
Text Loss and Leaf Damage: Two leaves, located at Matthew 5 and Acts 18, have damage to their bottom-right corners, resulting in partial text loss. The final surviving text leaf, containing Revelation 19–21, has a heavy vertical crease running through the center column. The paper is beginning to split at the very top and bottom of this fold, although the leaf remains intact.
Completeness: The text breaks off at Revelation 21:16, ending with the words “...and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” The final text leaf is missing, including the remainder of Revelation 21 (verses 17–27) and the entirety of Revelation 22 (verses 1–21). The final rear blank flyleaf is also absent.
The condition notes above reflect observations made during examination. Accompanying photographs provide prospective collectors with the opportunity to assess the binding, inscription, surviving text, and areas of damage independently.
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Collection Reference: AS-1074
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