The Holy Bible Containing The Old and New Testaments
With A Few Selected Notes and Embellished With Engravings
Published by the late W. Heptinstall: London c1795 (undated but all evidence indicates late eighteenth century)
"This magnificent two-volume late-18th-century Holy Bible, published by the late W. Heptinstall of London and titled The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments, With a Few Selected Notes and Embellished With Engravings, is an heirloom-quality production in every sense. Bound in sumptuous full red morocco leather with elegant gilt tooling, raised bands, and brilliantly preserved gilt page edges, the set has a commanding folio presence—large, weighty, and crafted to last for generations. The bindings exhibit the rich patina and depth of colour that only centuries of careful stewardship can produce, making these volumes as visually impressive as they are historically significant.
Inside, the Bible is beautifully adorned with a suite of full-page copperplate engravings, each rendered with exquisite detail typical of the late 1700s. Scenes such as Adam and Eve, Moses on Mount Sinai, The Happy State of the Church under the Messiah, and The Church in Distress provide both artistic and devotional richness, printed on thick leaves that retain their texture and integrity. The title pages, with their ornate calligraphy and classical layout, further establish the set as a premium example of Georgian Bible printing. Expected age toning and foxing are present but uniform, reinforcing the authenticity and antique character of the volumes.
A Bible of this scale, craftsmanship, and period—paired with such handsome bindings and engraved plates—is exceptionally scarce on the market. It offers a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine Georgian family Bible, suitable for display, scholarly interest, or generational inheritance. A superb acquisition for collectors of fine antiquarian Bibles, devotional art, early London printing, or distinguished eighteenth-century leather-bound folios."
