Since the Book of Common Prayer has come up before, I thought I'd share a couple of photos featuring the enlarged edition of Cambridge's 1662 BCP, bound in brown goatskin with art-gilt edges. Aside from the blurred imprinting -- a common complaint these days -- it's beautiful. I wish they offered a Bible in the same brown goatskin.
The page size is roughly 4.5 x 7, but the semi-yapp edges increase the footprint to about 5 x 7.5. Compared to the handier 3.75 x 6 edition in black calfskin, the print is quite large.
In case you didn't know, Allan's offers the Cambridge KJV Reference Pitt Minion Edition in brown kid goatskin. Here is the link: http://bibles-direct.com/category.phtml?Category=68
Posted by: Steve D'Alessio | February 20, 2008 at 06:01 AM
I need to get myself one of the hardcover versions of these. What exactly, though, is this 'blurred imprinting' you write of?
Posted by: Andrew | February 20, 2008 at 08:58 AM
If you look at the imprinting on the spine, it's a little fuzzy, not sharply defined as it ought to be. If you click on the images and look at them full-size on Flickr, you should see what I'm talking about.
Posted by: J. Mark Bertrand | February 20, 2008 at 09:01 AM
That is beautiful. I don't know if this Baptist boy can justify buying a $90 BCP even if my Mom grew up in the CofE. I guess that I will just continue to enjoy my standard sized calfskin BCP for those times when I want to look up something liturgical.
Posted by: Jerry | February 20, 2008 at 03:10 PM
Steve -- Good catch. The same edition is available in the US via Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Minion-Reference-Brown-Goatskin-Leather/dp/0521007461/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1203549030&sr=11-1
They're very close in size, too. Tempting . . .
Posted by: J. Mark Bertrand | February 20, 2008 at 03:15 PM
You are right, very tempting indeed. Problem is, that after discovering your site, I am going broke with all of the wonderful Bibles I've been picking up :) I already have three Allan's, two Cambridge, and three Nelson Signature Line Bibles. And, that's in addition to the absolutely countless regular, genuine leather versions I already own. By the way, have you checked out Lewis Bible Bindery http://www.lewisbibles.com/ ? I bought a rebound Old Scofield from them in black calfskin with leather lining, and it was beautiful. The leather was very similar to the calfskin that my Coach wallet is made of.
Posted by: Steve D'Alessio | February 20, 2008 at 05:28 PM
Steve: I've been wondering about Lewis Bibles for sometime now, but haven't yet pulled the trigger. Thanks for the personal recommendation.
Posted by: Kenton Steryous | February 21, 2008 at 06:03 AM
Mechling has a chocolate brown goatskin available for your rebinds. I had a Cambridge NIV Wide Margin rebound in the deluxe package and I am really pleased with it especially the color.
Posted by: Rod Summers | February 22, 2008 at 05:49 AM
I HAVE A COPY OF "THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS AND OTHER RITES AND CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, WITH THE PSALTER OR PSALMES OF DAVID.". PRINTED BY THOMAS
AND JOHN BUCK. PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERFITIE OF CAMBRIDGE. ANNO DOM. MDCXX1X. AN INSCRIPTION IN THIS BOOK IS SIGNED AND DATED 1629. HOW DO I PUT A VALUE ON IT.
Posted by: DEBRA MOORE | November 06, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Where can I get a copy of this?
Posted by: Hank Seward | November 14, 2008 at 07:54 AM
Which version of the daily lectionary does this Cambridge 1662 BCP have? The 1922 revision? Or the original? Thanks.
Posted by: Scott Sovereign | July 17, 2009 at 02:15 PM
Well, after putting it off for about a year I finally broke down and purchased one of these. It came in last week and I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the thing is as stiff as a board. It is goatskin however, the boards are terribly rigid. It won't lay open on it's own. I'm not sure how long it will take to break it in. It is nice looking though.
Posted by: Wesley Smith | August 24, 2009 at 09:12 PM
If anyone is still interested, I am selling my copy of this BCP for only $60. I've only used it a few times, but the cover is a bit more flexible than it was when I first bought it. It's still in near-perfect condition, too. Not a scratch on it. Here is the link to Amazon (mine is at the top, seller name is DVN):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0521691516/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
Posted by: David Nilsen | December 06, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Just a word of warning to those considering this. I have had three, and in all of them the glue has leaked into the page gutter which means that some of the pages don't lie flat. I had to send them all back! This is an issue when leading BCP services. In the end I bought the cheaper hardback version, which has the same problem but I don't mind creasing the pages back so much on a cheaper edition.
Posted by: Chris | February 08, 2010 at 10:24 AM
I bought this about a year ago. The 1662 BoCP is a great aid to devotions(particularly for those of a Reformed bent...though it is interesting to remember that the Puritans did not agree completely with the BoCP!) but does require a discipline that I, unfortunately, often lack.
Strictly speaking on this binding, there is one thing to note: Though it says goatskin, given the stiffness of the binding, it is hard to imagine. Even after a lot of use, I have difficulty getting this thing to stay flat when open. Also, the cover will stay bent after it is closed.
I think it's a worthy volume to purchase, just beware that you won't have a limp (or even a compliant) binding right out of the box.
Posted by: Devin | March 12, 2010 at 06:14 AM
I would love to see this size and exact same binding by Cambridge in the KJV Bible.
Posted by: Glen | June 06, 2011 at 07:49 PM