Exceptional 1881 E.W. Sawyer Victorian Family Bible with Original Working Clasps | Blank Genealogy Pages | Nearly 2,000 Illustrations

A remarkable survivor of the Victorian era, this magnificent 1881 E.W. Sawyer & Co. Family Bible is an heirloom-quality example, beautifully bound in richly embossed leather with both original metal clasps intact and in working order. Published in Boston, this monumental edition combines the Authorized Version of the New Testament with the Revised Version of A.D. 1881, accompanied by an extraordinary collection of biblical reference works and nearly 2,000 illustrations engraved on steel, wood, and in color.

Unlike many Victorian family Bibles that bear generations of inscriptions, this copy retains its blank presentation, birth, marriage, death, and memoranda pages, offering a rare opportunity to begin your own family’s legacy within its pages.

The elaborate embossed covers, richly gilt spine, and decorative interior typography exemplify the craftsmanship of late nineteenth-century American bookbinding. Throughout the volume are beautifully illustrated biblical scenes, historical engravings, illuminated devotional pages, biblical dictionaries, concordances, maps, and reference material intended to deepen the study of Scripture.

This impressive volume is equally suited for collectors of antique books, interior designers seeking a statement piece, churches, historic homes, or families wishing to preserve future generations in an authentic Victorian heirloom.

Features

• Published by E.W. Sawyer & Co., Boston
• Circa 1881
• Original embossed leather binding
• Both original metal clasps present and functioning
• Gilt-decorated spine with raised bands
• Nearly 2,000 engraved illustrations on steel, wood, and in color
• Authorized New Testament with the Revised Version arranged in parallel columns
• Complete Concordance
• Comprehensive Bible Dictionary
• Historical illustrations, biblical antiquities, maps, and devotional aids
• Blank Presentation page
• Blank Birth Register
• Blank Marriage Register
• Blank Death Register
• Blank Memoranda pages

Condition

A beautifully preserved example displaying exceptional shelf presence. The leather binding remains remarkably well-preserved with crisp embossed decoration and attractive gilt tooling. Both original clasps operate properly and securely. The text block is clean with only light, expected age-related toning and occasional foxing. Several preliminary pages exhibit minor edge tears and slight looseness, consistent with careful use over nearly a century and a half, but the Bible remains structurally sound and highly displayable.

Overall, this is an exceptionally attractive Victorian Family Bible, distinguished by its outstanding condition, complete original hardware, and untouched family record pages, an increasingly scarce combination seldom encountered on today’s market.

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