1777 Large Antique Holy Bible with Apocrypha Ostervald Suitable for Museum Display

An imposing georgian holy bible, edinburgh, 1777, with the apocrypha, ostervald’s theological observations and an evocative manuscript family record.a substantial and visually commanding 18th-century holy bible, printed in edinburgh for colin macfarquhar in 1777, presenting the old and new testaments together with the apocrypha and the celebrated moral and theological observations of the reverend jean-frédéric ostervald, professor of divinity and minister of the church at neuchâtel, switzerland.measuring an impressive 38 cm high × 24.5 cm wide × 8 cm deep, this is a bible of considerable physical presence. its monumental proportions, beautifully aged pages and unmistakably georgian character give the volume the appearance of an object that has survived not merely as a book, but as a piece of 18th-century religious and social history.the title page identifies the work as containing arguments to the different books together with moral and theological observations illustrating the chapters and their practical application. ostervald’s writings were highly influential in protestant biblical study, adding another dimension to an already substantial edition.of particular interest is the inclusion of the apocrypha, with books including esdras, tobit, judith, wisdom, ecclesiasticus, baruch, susanna and the maccabees appearing alongside the old and new testaments.perhaps the most evocative feature of this particular copy is its manuscript family record. written by hand into the volume are the names and birth dates of successive members of the saul family, beginning in the 18th century and continuing into the 19th. rather than being an anonymous surviving bible, this copy retains tangible evidence of the family who once owned and used it.the nearly 250 years of age are immediately apparent. the binding has acquired extensive wear, rubbing, scratches and losses, while the pages display toning, staining, creasing and other signs of long use. these imperfections have not been disguised; they form part of the history and character of an object that has passed through generations.details* 1777* edinburgh printing
* printed for colin macfarquhar
* old and new testaments
* includes the apocrypha
* arguments and theological observations by ostervald
* historic handwritten family register
* large georgian format
* approx. 38 × 24.5 × 8 cmat almost a quarter of a millennium old, this is an exceptionally atmospheric statement piece: a vast georgian bible combining scripture, theological scholarship and surviving family history within a single substantial volume.its scale makes it particularly striking when displayed open, where the broad double-column pages, early typography, marginal references and ostervald commentary can be fully appreciated.a compelling acquisition for the collector of early bibles, georgian religious works and historic christian material, and a highly distinctive object for a private library, institutional collection or museum-style display.a remarkable survivor from 1777, possessing the scale, age and unmistakable presence that simply cannot be reproduced by a modern book.