Holy Bible Containing The Old And New Testaments: Translated Out Of The Original Tongues.

876 printed pages. Printed in two columns. With frontispiece & 27 engraved plates from drawings by Charles Bell Birch. The title bears the words "Printed by Authority"; and on verso is a copy of the licence granted to D. Bryce to publish this edition dated 1901, an edition of 100,000 copies. Printed upon the very thinnest Oxford India Paper ever made, and with twenty-eight full-page illustrations of biblical scenes by C. B. Birch, A.R.A. Lacks front free endpaper and frontispiece torn at the bottom. Some pages mildly thumbed. The exact size of the page is 42mm x 28mm. Contemporary straight-grained, black morocco, covers with ornamental curlicue scrolling gilt border surrounding a central gilt lozenge with gilt lettered center -Illustrated Miniature Bible - spine gilt, all edges yellow (marginal edge wear); contemporary gold-painted metal copyright marked Jahncke's Patent Tin Prince of Wales feathers and Thistles with ornamental engraving of Jahncke's Patent Tin Prince of Wales feathers and Thistles (exterior gold layer partly rubbed away), upper cover with removable inlaid red cloth with gilt lettering surrounding a central magnifying glass loop (rather worn, and faded). David Bryce (1845-1923) was one of the world's most prolific and successful makers of miniature books, entering the book trade at the age of 17 when he was made a partner in his father's publishing house. He later became the sole proprietor when his father died in 1870. It was shortly after this event that he started producing the miniature books that were to make him famous. David Bryce & Sons of Glasgow was active around the turn of the 19th century & took an active interest in the latest technological advances in photolithography and electroplates to allow larger volumes to be reduced to the smallest imaginable size. The result is that their miniature publications are prized for the clarity and legibility of their texts. With the aid of Glasgow University Press, the firm issued the earliest complete miniature Bible in 1896, at the time the smallest complete bible ever printed; it comprised 876 pages printed on the finest India paper, measuring just over 1 inch square and was a reduced facsimile of the Oxford sextodecimo edition. David Bryce produced these tiny Bibles and many were presented to serving soldiers throughout the British Empire, easily carried on campaigns, including The Boer War which was being waged at that time with many later carried by soldiers in the First World War. They also published a 1901 reprint and also issued it in a specific binding as a souvenir of the Glasgow International Exhibition at Kelvingrove. All copies were sold with a small magnifying glass. Spielmann, 24. Bondy, 108. Welsh, 562. A scarce little marvel of bookmaking. WorldCat lists seven UK institutional library holders. Seller Inventory 5588