c1870s Antiquarian Leather POLYGLOT BIBLE – Samuel Bagster And Sons with MAPS

c1870s Antiquarian Leather POLYGLOT BIBLE – Samuel Bagster And Sons Facsimile Large Edition with a table of chronology and 6 PAGES OF COLOUR MAPS TO THE REAR: The English Version Of The Polyglot Bible, Containing The Old And New Testaments: With A Copious And Original Selection Of References To Parallel And Illustrative Passages.  This is in a neat and clean condition, and the pages are tightly bound. This is a very handsome bible, with all edge gilt pages and 6 Colour Maps on plates, engraved by W. Hughes. There is also a brown ribbon attached (frayed at the end). 

Published by Samuel Bagster And Sons, 15, Paternoster Row, London. 

This bible is not dated, however, there is a pencil inscription on the front flyleaf which appears to be dated either “1881” or “1887”. 

Samuel Bagster and Sons was a prominent publishing company in the 19th and early 20th centuries, specialising in religious and devotional literature. The company was founded by Samuel Bagster the Elder in London, England, in 1794.

The Bagster family had a strong Christian background, and Samuel Bagster saw a need for affordable and accessible religious literature. He began by publishing pocket-sized editions of the Bible, which were more portable and affordable than the larger versions available at the time. These editions were known as "Bagster's Polyglot Bibles" and gained popularity among religious readers.

As the company grew, Samuel Bagster's sons, Samuel Bagster the Younger and Jonathan Bagster, joined the business. 

In 1816 he moved his business to 15 Paternoster Row and published 'The English Version of the Polyglot Bible'. 

By 1893 they were still at 15 Paternoster Row, but were now a limited company, and so this predates this.

This is a beautiful and historic item, which is now in the region of 150 years old. 

This is bound in “Bagster’s Binding” as stated in gilt on the front pastedown. It is covered in dark pebbled and limp leather, which wraps over the page edges, with gilt lettering on the panelled spine. There are black pastedowns and endpapers, and all-edge gilt pages. 

The leather cover is intact, robust, and in a good condition for its age. There is a little wear to the cover, and this includes rubbing to the leather, more-so at the edges and on the spine. Please see the photographs provided for further reference. 

Inside, the pages are lightly tanned, which is consistent for a book of this age. Some of the pages have light stains at the edges and there are some small ink blots on pages 86 and 87 of the New Testament (see photo) but, besides this, the pages are overall in a neat and clean condition. They are predominantly uncreased. There is just the very occasional light or small crease or very small or light mark. There are only extremely small rips to the edges of a handful of pages, and this does not affect the text. On the back pastedown there is a very small sticker pasted, which I believe states “A. Thompson & Elliot, Liverpool”. Aside from the afore mentioned pencil inscription on the front flyleaf, there are also pencil drawings on the free endpapers.  Other than what has been mentioned, there are no further pen or pencil marks written inside this book. The pages are tightly bound, and they are all secure. There are no missing pages and so all 590 pages of ‘The Polyglot Bible’ are present, plus 220 pages of ‘The New Testament’, 36 pages of ‘An Index To The Old And New Testaments’, plus a Chronology and Maps.  Please study the photos carefully as to the condition of this book, as they do form part of the description. 

This measures approximately 21 cm by 15 cm and 3.5 cm wide. It weighs approximately 804 grams. 

Thank you so much for looking.