News from R. L. Allan: Upcoming Editions

There's already been some talk about these editions on the site, but I figured it was time to round up the available information in one place. R. L. Allan's will be introducing two new ESV formats this fall, along with the latest version of the beloved Allan's Journal. I asked Nicholas Gray for the latest details, and here they are. 

R. L. Allan's Personal Size Reference ESV

Coming in September

Ever since the Personal Size Reference ESV came out, I've wanted R. L. Allan to do their own edition ... and I haven't been alone. Judging from the e-mail that floods my inbox, many of you have wanted the same thing. Now it's happening. According to Nicholas Gray, they're being bound at this very moment: "We should see copies toward the end of September all being well."

The PSR will be available with semi-yapp, Highland goatskin covers in your choice of three colors: black, chocolate brown, and red. They'll have three big ribbons, and it sounds like they'll follow the styling cues of the latest ESV1. Price? £90. (Update: This is a Crossway-printed PSR identical in layout to the current edition, but bound by R. L. Allan. So yes, it's single column, just like the PSR I reviewed for the site.)

R. L. Allan's Journals

September/October

The newest version of the Allan's Journal will be making its debut soon, too. Two sizes will be offered. The smaller will be bound in the same highland goatskin as the Bible covers, and will sell for £20. I'm not sure about color availability, but I suppose it's possible we'll see black, dark brown, and red, corresponding to the PSR covers. (Update: The colors will be black, tan, and chocolate brown -- so I was close.) The larger ones will go for £25, and will be bound in black and antique brown buffalo grain goatskin. The journals are still about a month out, so I'm guessing they'll be available sometime in September or October.

R. L. Allan's Reader's Edition

November/December

In cooperation with EvangelicalBible.com, R. L. Allan is developing a "Reader's Edition" of the ESV, a large print, double column edition. It's being printed now, and should be available by the end of November. 

Royal License to Publish KJV

In addition to all this, Nicholas shared some good news:

"R L Allan have just been granted the Royal Licence under Letters Patent by Queen Elizabeth to publish the KJV in Scotland. Cambridge hold this privilege in England. Queen Victoria set this up in 1839 to protect the KJV text from bad editions, and in Scotland the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General act on the Queen's behalf to ensure that her Bible is properly printed and published -- by us! So this royal 'imprimatur' will appear on future Allan editions of the KJV and it will start with the reprint of the Lonprimer edition towards the end of this year."

With the 400th anniversary of the KJV's first printing in 1611 less than eighteen months away, it will be interesting to see how many new editions of the Authorized Version see the light of day. 

Comments

[William]

Do you know if there will be any note pages available in the PSR ESV? My memory often fails me and I like adding some personal notes concerning essential doctrines.
Thanks!

[Knight]

Looking forward to getting a look at the Readers Edition. The format looks exactly like what I am looking for. This one may be worth saving up the money.

[Jerry]

ESV PSR in a decent binding? YES!

[Stan McCullars]

The Reader's Edition does sounds like a good Christmas present...for myself!

[Richard H]

For those of us Anglicans who love the ESV, but also desire an Apocrypha on occasion for the daily readings in the prayer book, I asked about Allan's binding the ESV with Apocrypha in the future. This was my response:

"We already have been in touch with Oxford to see about the possibiity of our doing an Allan edition with the Apocrypha and this may be possible in future."

Kind regards
Nicholas

Richard

[A. J.]

Thanks for the info Mark -- looking forward to the first pictures of the PSR. I have a question on the paper quality: I was browsing PSR editions at the local Christian bookstore recently, and noticed that the Cool Mint Tru Tone (one of the newer editions) had thicker paper, and a bolder font. Do you know if we can expect this upgraded paper/font in the Allan PSRs?

[Devin]

As for the news that Allan's will have the Royal License: this likely explains why their editions of the Longprimer AV are marked down by 10 pounds.

I just bought the Longprimer 52 and am waiting for its arrival. I was told by Nicholas that it is actually not the French Morocco leather but a higher quality goatskin leather. On the one hand, it seems like $100US at current exchange rates seems like a lot. On the other hand, when you consider that the Longprimer is one of the finest AV's available and usually goes for between $150-$200US, this is a steal.

If you are considering a Longprimer, don't procrastinate much longer. Get it now, while it's still relatively inexpensive and still great Allan's quality.

[Alan]

Will the PSR be single-column? Is this simply an Allen's binding on a Crossway text block?

[Kyle Hedrick]

My question may be a repeat of Alan's. My only two concerns are font size and single column. Will the font size be the same -- or larger (fingers crossed here). And will the text be single column?

[Brian]

Hopefully they will omit the logo on the journal. I'd like to have one, but as more of a commonplace book for taking notes, writing quotations, etc. than a journal.

[Brian]

Also, like Richard H, I would be very interested in a quality Allan's edition of the ESV with the Apocrypha. I've only seen it available as a hardback.

[Brett]

Do you know if it will be gilt or art-gilt?

[Scott]

http://evangelicalbible.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12_114&products_id=600&zenid=62ca89a8ba0221d827e96eedd60519e8

Looks like red under gold art gilt edges. Nice.

[Steven T. Rogers]

Brett - thank you for posting that. I am however very sad to see that it is 7.4 font. I was going to wait for this but am tihnking maybe the esv1.

How I wish for a 9.5 font and a little bigger dimensions to fit them in

[Scott]

@Steven T. Rogers

I have the ESV1 in English Tan and it is a wonderful Bible. I think you will like it. What I like about this announcement is that is shows how committed Allan's is to providing options while still providing some of the best, most attractive, and most durable Bibles. They are a wonderful company and one of a very few that is still committed to quality.

[Gary Brown]

I'm considering purchasing an ESV1 in tan...just a question does anyone know is the ESV the original 2001 or the revised 2007 edition. Thanks

[mike smith]

Gary it is the 2007 in the most recent Allan's edition, 2001 in past editions.

[Josh]

I hope Allan will put more attention into 1) printing quality high-end leather copies of the Cambridge KJV text in clearer, more modern type (no more Oxford KJVs please!), and 2) updating their website - with pictures(!!!)

[Steven T. Rogers]

stated on the Allan's website it will be

Allan's enlarged black letter type edition with wider outer margins for writing, making for easy reading and greater flexibility of use. Printed on good qualty writeable India paper and bound in Allan's top quality bindings. A superb edition of the excellent ESV translation.

English Standard Version Readers Edition Black Highland Goatskin
Product Code
ESVR1
Product Description

Black Highland goatskin, semi yapp style, leather lined in dark blue with gilt line, red under gold page edges, three blue ribbon markers, with concordance, 32 pages of lined writing paper and 16pp of Oxford Bible maps.

Page size: 9" x 6 1 1/2": 1 1/2" ( 230 x 165mm)
Point size: 10.5

Price
£125.00

[Winston Waldemayer III]

Someone may have mentioned it already but I went to R.L. Allan's website yesterday and found that their website is now updated. It is still under construction with new pics still needing to be uploaded to it but I thought everyone here (if you haven't already), might enjoy taking a look at it if you haven't been to it in awhile. It looks like it will be nifty once complete.

[Tommy B.]

I'm drooling over the ESV readers edition. I have pretty much switched to large print Bibles altogether and this sounds like it will be just awesome. I don't care about the wide margin because there is no way I'd write in an Allan's Bible. That would be like drawing a moustache on the Mona Lisa!

[nick]

I'm just hoping that a smaller, more readable paragraph KJV will be one of the forthcoming options.

[RP]

Does anyone know if the Personal Size ESV will have maps? The ones published by Crossway do not. Also will it be the same font and text block as the current editions. In my opinion the font in the PSR ESV is a little "trendy" for something to be bound in Highland Goatskin. It may look a little out of place.

[twitter.com/Durbinslive]

Just a completely different question relating to this. In the coronation of the British monarch they are handed a bible by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland. Does this mean that the next British Monarch will get a Allan's Bible?

[Chaucer]

I spoke with an R L Allen associate to make sure that the text was the 2007 updated text and sure enough it is. I have pre-ordered a Tan ESV Readers Ed. and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival (Lord willing before Christmas). R L Allen said pictures would be posted by the end of this week which was yesterday but nothing so far. $210 is a lot of money for a Bible, especially considering the price and quality of a Cambridge Bible so, this better be the best Bible this side of heaven!
As well, while looking Evangelicalbible.com and Bibles-Direct.Co.UK I noticed that the "TAN" version comes in many shades from lighter to a very rich flavour depending on which picture your viewing. Any comments brothers?

Blessings Chaucer!

[Steven T. Rogers]

The tan will be a uniform color as far as I can tell. It has alot to do with the picture not the bible. Look at the Tan ESV review picture in the thread below from Mark on a good idea what the actual color will look like.

http://www.bibledesignblog.com/2009/03/r-l-allans-esv1-esv1t-and-esv1-br-in-highland-goatskin.html

[Keith Terwilliger]

Just purchased and Allan ESV reader's edition. It is a very nice bible with wonderful features. Although I have to be honest. My calfskin ESV by crossway is a much finer bible with by far superior binding and leather. It does not have the wider margins, red under gold gilt, not the line paper in back. The general binding and thick plush pillowy calf is unreal. Maybe I have a rare gem by crossway.

Overall I do like my Allan, but I believe there is just a little bit of hype behind these bibles. My deepest apology. I can understand that some of you will be looking to hunt me down. I must be true to what I see.

[John]

Keith, it's all about personal preferences. Personally, I think comparing Crossway's calfskin and Allan's goatskin is like comparing apples and oranges. They are both great.

[Keith Terwilliger]

John, You are right! That is a very fair and true statement. What I would love to see is Allan print and ASV (AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION) in a readers or general reference edition.

[bill]

Funny you mentioned the ASV. Anyone besides Star Bible still publishing the ASV in any format? Since the 1901 ASV must by now be in the public domain, and there's still quite a bit of demand for it (old copies get big prices on eBay), I'd have thought there'd be several other publishing options available. SB calls themselves the "sole publisher"...did they purchase the "rights" to it? And it now appears they're out of stock of all but the NT-only editions.

[Seth]

There is a publisher on amazon. They are printing brand new copies of the ASV 1901. They are hard back and very thick because of the paper, but they are the only people I know of who are currently printing a full copy of it. Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Standard-Version-Revision-Committee/dp/B00B95CMUQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1362263204&sr=8-7&keywords=asv+1901+bible

[Howie M]

I bought paperback 5-volume set of The Bible, American Standard Version, Verseless Edition from Magnanimous Enterprises last summer. I like this set very much for many reasons. Here is the link:
https://sites.google.com/site/verseless/home