R. L. Allan's Oxford Long Primer in Highland Goatskin

"Maybe you should try the Long Primer." I'd given that advice a thousand times to people who e-mailed looking for a nice, readable edition of the KJV in a quality binding. I said maybe because I'd never seen one myself. Based on what I knew of R. L. Allan's, I assumed the Long Primer was good. Nicholas Gray, who presides over the Glasgow-based temple of goodness, confided that the Long Primer was his favorite setting of the KJV, and other Bible Design Blog readers said the same thing. So when the box arrived from Scotland including, among other things, a copy of Item #53 -- "Allan's Oxford Reference Bible, Long Primer with Chain References, Goatskin Leather, Cyclopedic Concordance" -- I was anxious to see if the recommendation I'd been making was any good.

Not that I was worried.

Above: The supple Long Primer cover inspired some new Bible yoga positions. Here, the cover is curled into the gutter between the pages, showing off the goatskin's flexibility and grain, and providing a glimpse of the elegant typography within.

The official description has this to say: "Highland goatskin with overlapping (full yapp) covers, leather lined inside in dark blue, with dictionary of proper names, subject index and concordance." The list price is £90, which works out to $177 in today's US dollars. That's expensive, but then, this is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase for all but the inveterate collectors. And I have to say, the Long Primer has that once-in-a-lifetime feel.

Although the text block measures 8.5 x 5.75 x 1.125, the full yapp cover gives the Long Primer a larger footrpint, something like 9.5 x 6.5, making it a large, relatively thin, comfortable edition. One of the selling points on the Allan's site is its "large, readable type size," and this is no exaggeration. The typeface is classic without looking dated, and while I'm always hesitant to estimate font size, I would guess it's in the region of 11-12 pt. Like all classic settings of the KJV, this features a double-column, verse-per-line format, but the paragraph markers are particularly prominent, which helps. Also, the Long Primer has a much less aggressive approach to self-pronouncing text than the Brevier Blackface. The names of Assyrian kings are likely to be broken into accented syllables, but familiar names like Jesus and Peter are not.

In addition to the chain references, the Long Primer offers an impressive amount of reference material in back, starting with a dictionary of proper names. So if you're sitting in a church service and find you can't recall who Abishai was, just look him up and you'll find the following:

ABISHAI, a-bi-shai, f. of a gift. I Sam. 26.6. brother of Joab. I Chr. 2.16. with David carries off Saul's spear. I Sam. 26. 6-9. slays three hundred men. 2 Sam. 23. 18, See also 1 Chr. 11.20; 18.12.

I hate to confess how much time I've spent looking people up. There are plenty of traditional reference tools that get little to no use (and are not much missed as a consequence), but this is one I'd love to see revived, because it's just the sort of thing you need when your knowledge of the biblical cast of characters -- especially the obscure ones -- fails you. In addition to the dictionary of proper names, there's a thorough subject index, a concordance, and a set of Oxford maps. For true KJV enthusiasts, I should point out that like most editions, this one includes the Epistle Dedicatory but not "The Translators to the Reader."

Above: The Long Primer is traditional without being stale, classic without being archaic. If you're only going to have one copy of the KJV, this is a great one to choose.

Below: Another yoga move. This time one cover is curled into the gutter while the other wraps around. Try that with most leather Bibles and you'll end up with bent, even creased, covers, but the highland goatskin is unmarked.

The Long Primer is a "black letter" edition, meaning the words of Christ are not printed in red (or, as is too often the case in modern editions, pink). Red letter editions are traditional here in the States, and some people swear by them. Others are just as passionate in the opposite direction, worrying that the use of red letters implies that some parts of the Bible are more reliable, more inspired than others. If you fall into the former camp, be warned that the Long Primer is not a red letter edition.

Another concern with red letter editions, especially considering how inconsistent the color is in so many editions, is that the text is harder to read. I've written at length about readability, so I'd be remiss in not pointing out that the Long Primer, as a very traditional setting of the traditional translation in English, violates pretty much all my preferences. It's set in two columns, not one. The text isn't paragraphed. The verse isn't set in verses. I could go on. But the Long Primer illustrates another principle, something that can easily be lost in a conversation about ideals. When the design choices, whatever they happen to be, are well executed, they tend to minimize distraction. Compared to the Brevier Blackface, another double column, verse-per-line setting, the Long Primer is exceptionally readable -- and not just because of the increased font size. I'm not sure I can express the difference well, but it has something to do with how cleanly executed the design is. The font choice is excellent, the size is right, the proportions are balanced, the elements just seem to work together.

The point is, a well-executed double-column, verse-per-line layout might actually be better to read than a poorly-executed single-column, paragraphed layout. Single columns and paragraphs are not a panacea. The designer has to make good choices at every point. The designers of the Long Primer by and large have.

Above: The Long Primer is limp, as you'd expect a highland goatskin cover to be.

Below: As a testament to the cover's liquid flexibility, look how tightly I was able to compress the cover. If you can't tell, it's wrapped in a circle inside-out, the way you'd fold a newspaper.

Above: A less aggressive roll. Note how easily the pages fall open, so you can see right down into the gutter.

Below: Red under gold page edges appear red from one angle and gilt from another. People have noted a ridgeline "wave" in the pages of some Allan's editions, and you can see a bit of that here. I consider it more of a characteristic than a defect, but I realize there are different opinions on this.

This sounds like a love-fest, and for good reason. There is a lot to love about the Long Primer. Still, this particular version is really a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, and that's because of the full yapp edges. A semi-yapp edge overlaps the page roughly halfway, giving you a nice extended edge, a leather clamshell that offers some protection to the text block. But a full-yapp edge goes all the way. The leather actually touches all around the edge.

The result is a cover that looks, for lack of a better term, organic. It's not neat and trim. Instead, it can look a little pinched and asymmetrical. You're either going to love this effect or hate it. I happen to love it.

Above: The "irregular" effect of a full-yapp edge is nicely illustrated here (and take a look at that grain on the spine).

Below: Another view of the full-yapp edge. As you can see, my copy is a little puckered at the four corners. I could try straightening this out for a more regular line, but I happen to like the organic effect.

You will not not notice the full-yapp edge. So take stock before ordering a copy. Considering how rare this feature is today, that alone might make it worth your while. If you're wondering, the full-yapp edge doesn't interfere much when you're flipping through the pages. It might take some getting used to, but I wouldn't let that put you off.

Another minor gripe: the Long Primer only comes with a single ribbon, and it's rather short. When I use a ribbon to mark my place, I typically open to the passage by grasping the tip of the ribbon and pulling it sideways to lift the page open. As I move the Long Primer ribbon toward the lower outside corner, I'm left with about .125 inches of fabric to hold onto. I usually feel that ribbons run on the long side, but in this case it's just a bit too short.

Above: Peel away that cover for a look at the leather lining. The cover is stamped "NATURAL GOATSKIN" in front and "OXFORD BINDING" in back.

Below: Another example of flexibility, peeling back the pages with the cover.

My conclusion? The advice I'd given second-hand rang true once I had the opportunity to use the Long Primer myself. It's a beautifully produced edition of the KJV, one of the best I've ever handled, and while it might not be for everyone, it offers an excellent balance of traditional features, readability, and quality manufacture. It is the best of the Oxford settings available from R. L. Allan's, which is the only source of these editions now that Oxford has dropped them. So if you want a copy of the famous Authorized Version in classic form, my recommendation is the same as before: "You should try the Long Primer."

Only I'm dropping the maybe.

Comments

[Kyle Hedrick]

What a shock that Allan's has published such an extraordinary Bible. The pictures are beautiful. Thanks for the review Mark.

[Pastor Ron Parish]

Mark, this is exactly the Bible Nicholas Gray suggested for me when I asked him to help me find a great Bible. Certainly, the Allan site doesn't have the great pictures you have presented here, but that would be nice.

The one drawback I can see, at least for me, is the fact it's not red letter. Only after reading this blog for a month or so, do I realize many people prefer black-only text. There is not one Bible in my house that doesn't have the words of Christ in red.

There's one more little tweak that should be included with high-end Bibles, IMHO. Three ribbon bookmarks should be standard. If someone only wants one or two, the extra could be cut out, but it's rather difficult to add one.

If the red letter text could be added, this Bible would be near the top of the stack. My Nelson's Signature Series Reference Bible is looking better all the time.

Again, you've done a great job in sharing the details of this work of art.

Pastor Ron

[Marcus McClary]

Mark, the Allan Long Primer (53) was my first Allan, before the ESV1, NIVC, and NRSV, and remains my favourite (the anglicisation begins to rub off). Mine came in the Cape Levant (a bolder grain than yours pictured--though I don't remember being given a choice) which I have come to prize above all others, both for look and feel. I'm pleased to see your fine review and beautiful photos. I can certainly echo your advice, you should try the Long Primer.

[David from Ireland]

Great review Mark.

Just purchased The Allan's KJV Long Primer.

I absolutely love it!

Unfortunately I don't like full yapp covers so I had to go for the cheaper £75 Allan #59 described by Allan as "Mid grain goatskin leather".

However the cheaper price does not mean poor quality by any means. The bible is very limp as well only slightly less than the highland goatskin.

So for anyone who is not keen on the full yapp the Allan#59 will certainly suffice. It is simply the highest quality bible I have ever seen. The binding is superb! The text is a joy to read and I hope it will last for many years to come.

The £65 version in french Morocco (Allan#52) is a lot stiffer and I would not recommend it if you want that lovely feel that only goatskin brings.

Thanks to Mark for helping me decide on the perfect KJV from Allan's.

When shopping around I also had a hands on with the Brevier Clarendon in brown and I can say that it is simply the best looking bible I have ever seen in terms of the binding and colours.

[Kenton Steryous]

David from Ireland: Thank you....you answered the question I had about the mid-grain. I also am not a big fan of the full yapp covers. My Allan Brevier Blackface is full yapp, and I actually went to the trouble of opening the cover and laying heavy books on the edges to try and straighten them. It's fine now, however I would still prefer a slightly trimmer look. I may have to give the mid grain #59 a shot.

Kenton

[Bruce]

Great review, Mark, as always.

One traditional feature that I miss in the Longprimer is having the English words added by the translators italicized. This as part of the work of the translators and for me having these words displayed is part of the experience of reading KJV text. I've other Oxford KJVs missing this.

My Longprimer is in the Levant goatskin and I was surprised to see several small spots in the leather apparently not fully dyed - there are some light bluish areas on the edges and in the grain of the yapp by the bottom of the spine. Knowing Allan's reputation I'm sure they'd accept a return, but I didn't see these as severe enough to ship this Bible back to the UK from the US. Otherwise, yes, this is indeed an excellent Bible.

[James Thompson]

Mark – Ok, my head hurts now. Every time I read one of your reviews I think “I’ve got to get that Bible.” I’ve basically narrowed it down to the Long Primer or the Brevier Clarendon. Your article on the Long Primer was really informative and the pictures, especially of the blue inside liner, almost sold me. My main Bible is Cambridge’s Presentation Reference Edition in goatskin. It’s a great Bible, the goatskin’s a little stiffer than it appears the Allan is but it has two ribbons which I think I’ll miss if I convert. I don’t think the full yapp will be a bother for me but it looks like if you want the Highland full yapp is the only choice. Any reason why that’s the case? Anyway, thanks for your reviews… decisions, decisions…..

[Ron Parish]

Will Allan's add ribbons to make a total of three? Also, James Thompson, how is the type in your Cambridge Presentation? I'm told it's 11pt. Also, is it a red letter edition? Although, it's WAY too much, it looks like my next Bible is going to have to be either the Cambridge Presentation or the Allan's Turquoise. I'm quite certain the Cambridge is cheaper by quite a bit. Thanks.

Pastor Ron

[James Thompson]

Ron – The type in the Presentation Reference Edition is 10/11 pt. It’s very readable. Some may not like the style (Antique Old Style No. 3) but I’m “old school” so it appeals to me. I have the black letter edition. BTW, I might be wrong but I think the Allen Turquoise and this one are the same Bible – it used to be called Turquoise Reference Edition at Cambridge.

[Lee Miller]

The Cambridge "Presentation Reference Bible" is indeed the same as the old "Turquoise" edition. In new copies of Cambridge Bibles, however, you have to be careful about the printing. Their standards have definitely slipped. I have a copy of the Presentation Reference Bible that's about 5 years old . . . and I returned 2 copies for replacement before keeping this one, due to uneven printing, blurred pages, extremely light inking, show-through, etc. The copy I ended up keeping is fine, for some reason. It's printed in both The Netherlands and the UK, so Cambridge obviously isn't doing their own printing in house any longer.

My copy is bound in goatskin, and while it's not super-flexible it's extremely pleasant to handle. One problem has recently developed: the lining isn't leather, it's some kind of plasticized/coated paper, and it has started to split in the fold where the cover meets the spine. I'm still puzzling about what to do about it . . . I don't particularly want to return the Bible and go through the search again for a copy that's been decently printed. Will probably just live with it.

The typeface is extremely readable, and I don't mind the "old-fashioned" effect of the pages. My copy is bound with a concordance, a dictionary, and the full "The Translators to the Reader" text.

One interesting error in this Bible is in Mark 1:25 . . . the word "saying" is in black letter but has been overprinted with red. I've seen this same error in every red-letter copy of the Presentation Reference/Turquoise I've checked.

The two ribbon markers are black and long enough.

Lee

[Bill Morgart]

I just received a Long Primer No. 53 from Allans. The quality of the goatskin leather, and the workmanship of the binding is excellent. I love the size and feel of the bible. Also, this is the first bible I have purchased that has the full yapp cover. I was not sure if I would like the leather overlap, but I am very pleased with that feature.

All that being said, I am not totally happy with the quality of the printing. Some pages have slightly lighter text than others. It almost looks like ther was not enough ink used when printing some of the pages. I recently purchased a very inexpensive bible ($39) that has flawless print quality. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give the print quality a 6 or 7. The font size though, is nice and readable.

Another distraction is the red under gold treatment of the page ends. When you position the pages to view the red under gold treatment, the result is a "polka-dot" effect (i.e., white dots show instead of solid red) for about 3/4 of the page ends. A section of page ends show solid red, as they should.

The print quality and red under gold treatment issues are somewhat minor, but it seems to me that a bible of this price ($178 US) should not have these distractions. As such, I may decide to return the bible.

[Lee Miller]

Bill, I'm curious about your $39 Bible with flawless print quality. "Flawless" is a word I'd hardly ever use to describe modern Bible printing, so I'd like to check out this one . . . what did you buy for that price?

Lee

[Iyov]

Bill, I was happy to read your comment, because it confirmed a fear that I have. I have a number of older Bibles, and it is true, the crispness and uniformity of printing in older printings is often lacking. And thus, for the Allan's Bibles made from older text blocks, I fear the same thing may be happening. I've actually seen this in some of Mark's gorgeous photography:

Look at Isaiah 65:14 in this photo -- there is a big old ink smear through verse:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmarkbertrand/2454811332/sizes/o/

Or alternatively, look at the "d" in "and" in Psalm 52:10 in this photo -- it is imperfectly printed:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmarkbertrand/2212765089/sizes/o/

Now, neither of these destroy the readability of the text. It is just that for $200, I expect better. (I should mention that you one can find flaws in almost every page photographed by Mark of these older text blocks.) Most recent books that I buy in the $40-$50 range have beautiful, nearly perfect layout and printing. So, I feel that with Allan's Bibles, one is paying a premium for the binding, but with a text block that is really typical of a much, much cheaper book.

I notice that Oxford and Cambridge are quickly retiring their older text settings for new, sharp, modern typeset pages. I think I'd just assume get one of those (or wait for Allan's to start using those new textblocks) before spending $200.

[Bill Morgart]

Lee,

I probably should not have used "flawless" to describe the printing in the $39 bible, but is easily superior to the printing in the Long Primer. In fact is is also easily superior to the print quality in another expensive goatskin bible that I own (Cambridge Presentation bible), although the Presentation bible does not have the light print problem of the Long Primer. Allans carries the Cambridge Presentation using the old Torquoise name. The $39 bible that I am referring to is a Hendrickson (ISBN: 9781598562095), KJV, wide margin large print bible. I got a discount price on it over the internet. It is printed in China. The pages are very thick by the "india paper" standards. However, the binding is a very stiff bonded leather that is not at all pleasing to hold. It is a rather heavy and large bible also.

[Kathy]

While I agree that the imperfections Bill described above would bother me too, I don't think they are typical and I disagree that the text blocks used by Allan are cheap. I also have this Bible, as well as a brevier clarendon, and have noticed the occasional misprint in the text; they are infrequent and really don't bother me. The paper quality is far superior to anything I can find in my local bookstores, the text is crisp and clear, and the art gilt edges on my copy are flawless-I wish American publishers would use this treatment. I believe this treatment is done by hand so it is not surprising that there is some variation from book to book. The goatskin binding is exquisite; again nothing like it can be found locally and I had no idea quality like this existed until I found this blog. In fact the only thing I would change about this Bible Mark also mentioned; the ribbon is too short, and it could use one or two more.

[Bill Morgart]

The occasional misprint does not bother me, but the lighter text does. I must emphasize that the text imperfections are minor and that most people may not notice them. I also want to emphasize that the quality of the leather binding is second to none that I have seen.

[Kathy]

Bill, I agree the lighter text would bother me too, (and so would the sloppy art gilt treatment). My point is that they aren't all like that; the text in mine is consistently dark throughout. I'm sure Allan's would exchange it for you.

[Lee Miller]

My experience with the Cambridge Presentation Reference was the same: "they aren't all like that", and the copy I ended up with is fully acceptable in terms of printing (although a comparison with a much older "Turquoise" printing will reveal how much the typography degrated over time.)

The odd thing is that the copies I returned all looked externally exactly like the one I finally kept, they were printed in the same locations, etc. You've got to wonder what makes the difference in quality from one copy to the next.

Currently, however, I'm using a 4th edition Thompson Chain Reference (KJV), bound in a very red burgundy cowhide (with bonded leather lining, oddly). The cowhide is stiff as a board, but somehow it works for this particular Bible. Kirkbride (the publisher of the Thompson Bible) is another firm where printing standards have slipped--current editions have very uneven printing and cheap binding.

Lee

[Ron Parish]

Thank you to everyone for your comments. I would like to have an Allan's Bible, to be sure, but am hesitant because of the reported flaws I've been reading about here. The last I checked, Allan Bibles aren't exactly being given away. My heart is set on the Turquoise edition, due to the larger size, but many people have said the Allan's Oxford Long Primer's type is quite acceptable, even for older eyes like mine.

Pastor Ron

[Bill Morgart]

Pastor Ron, I have a Cambridge Presentation, and the print is easier to read than that of the Long Primer, at least with my eyes. My Presentation (or Torquoise at Allans) has dark consistent type that is a larger font than the Long Primer (However, I have read of others that had to return the Presentation because of lighter print.). It has an old type setting, so there are instances where part of a letter is missing. This has not been a distraction to me, but newer printings tend to not have this shortcoming. I agree that the Long Primer has larger than standard font, and that most people would find it easy to read. However, I have gotten used to 10 point and larger font. The Long Primer has a slightly smaller font, say 9 point. I also have a Cambridge Concord, which has 8 point font. I would put the Long Primer font size between that of the Concord and the Presentation, only not as bold as either. I personally prefer bold black type, so if you prefer type that is not bold, your opinion on readability may differ from mine.

Again, I want to emphasize the quality of the Allans leather binding, and to caution that I am definitely a perfectionist when it comes print quality.

[Lou]

I just wanted to know how many others out there put their higher quality Bibles back into their boxes or slipcases after they are finished reading or studyingfor the day. I do this and it does keep them in better condition longer.

[Lee Miller]

What a great question, Lou! Well worth raising in this group. I tend to migrate from Bible to Bible (always KJV, but different editions) and the ones I'm not using stay in their box (if I have it), and flat. I'd like to know how much "knocking around" people give their > $100+ bibles . . . do you take particular care of them, or do you throw them in your backpack or brief case and take them on the road?

I'd also like to see photos of some premium Bibles after a few years of vigourous use. My "knock around" Bible is a Cambridge Concord bound in red "antique French Morocco". The leather is worn through at the top and bottom of the spine, and is showing lots of other blemishes. But the book itself is butter-soft, smells great, and is like an old glove.

Lee

[Stuart]

I'm too busy & too interested in 'playing' with my Bibles to put them back in their boxes, it's too much hassle, though I guess it would preserve them a little better. Most of mine are new so they still get a regular 'massage' to loosen them up & condition the leather, I've given them their own bookcase where they lie flat in piles according to version too. I handle most of them with care & I tend to only use the boxes when I take them somewhere in a backpack etc.

[Nathan Stitt]

I don't keep mine in the box. Nor do I stand them on their spine. They lie flat and I try to use them frequently. I've bought mine to use them, but if I had an heirloom Bible I'd probably keep it in a box.

[Charles Massiatte]

I am within a few days of purchasing an Allan KJV Oxford Reference Bible. I had my heart set on the Brevier Clarendon until I read Mark's reviews on the Long Primer. Could someone please clarify the main differences between the two versions? I am in Bible college and need a strong reference Bible. Which one would be more readable? Of the two which would be more suited for in depth references? My problem is I am not seeing any formidable differences between the two. Can someone help me with this? Also, I understand that the full yapp is of preference and opinion but what practical purpose does it serve? In my opinion it kinda tweaks with the aesthetic of the Bibles.