The Pictorial Home Bible – 1872 | Huge Illustrated Edition with Apocrypha

The 1872 Enormous Pictorial Bible, edited by M. Laird Simons and issued by W. Flint of Philadelphia, is a massive devotional volume produced in the tradition of 19th-century American family Bibles. This edition includes the complete Old and New Testaments, the Apocrypha, a concordance, and a series of explanatory companion texts. The typesetting conforms to the standards of the American Bible Society. With fifteen full-page engraved plates bound throughout and marginal scriptural references on nearly every page, this Bible reflects the full ambitions of Victorian-era religious publishing.

Designed for household use and formal display, this edition combined religious function with ornamental craftsmanship. The layout includes large-format double-column text, extensive references, and supplementary devotional texts. Its substantial dimensions and decorative presentation set it apart from more utilitarian printings of the period. The engraved plates were chosen to accompany key scriptural moments and are printed on thick stock suited to repeated handling.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Pictorial Home Bible: Devotional and Explanatory: Containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocrypha, Concordance and Marginal References, the Text Conformable to the Standard of the American Bible Society… With Companion Articles.
• Author(s): Holy Bible
• Contributor(s): M. Laird Simons; American Bible Society
• Publisher: W. Flint, Philadelphia
• Edition: 1872 Edition
• Format: Folio; single volume
• Binding: Full leather, decorative gilt spine and boards, gilt page edges
• Size: 12 in × 9.75 in x 3.25 in (31 cm × 25 cm x 9 cm)
• Collation: xvi, 200, 9-574, 116; [2], 579-754, 41, [1] pp
• Illustrations: 15 plates; numerous in-text illustrations
• Contents Include:
  • Old Testament
  • Apocryphal Books
  • New Testament
  • Marginal References
  • Concordance
  • Devotional and Companion Articles.
• Provenance: Handwritten inscription, “M. H. Phelps for Lillian M. Phelps”; Phelps/Hawthorne family records

Condition:

Bound in full leather over heavy, beveled boards, this example features gilt panels on both boards and ornate gilt decoration on the spine. The raised bands remain intact, and the gilt titling is clearly legible. All page edges are gilt and well preserved, retaining strong luster. Internally, the contents are complete and securely bound. The paper shows mild aging but remains clean and structurally strong. The engraved plates are all present and show occasional toning. The text throughout is legible with wide margins and no loss to text or plate impressions.

Why Collect This?

• Massive 1872 American Bible in its original full gilt leather binding
• Includes the Apocrypha, companion articles, and marginal references
• All 15 engraved plates present and well preserved
• Printed by W. Flint of Philadelphia, a noted 19th-century religious publisher
• Sought by collectors of American devotional books, oversized Scripture, and leather-bound religious artifacts]
• INVENTORY NUMBER (SKU): #28619