Statenvertal 1874 - Silver Lock A.J. Nobel Schoonhoven - 833 Silver

Antique Dutch Statenbijl from 1874, bound in dark leather with fully gilt edges and a richly decorated silver Bible clasp by the Schoonhoven silversmith A.J. Nobel.

The New Testament was published by the Nederlandsche Bijbel-Compagnie, with J. Brandt en Zoon in Amsterdam and Johannes Enschedé en Zonen in Haarlem. In addition to the New Testament, the book contains, among other things, Psalms and Hymns with musical notation, as well as various ecclesiastical texts and forms.

This copy is notable for its original 19th-century silverwork. The openwork and engraved clasp bears the master mark N99, belonging to Andries Jacob Nobel of Schoonhoven. Nobel used this master mark between 1872 and 1892. The Dutch hallmark for second-grade silver is also present, corresponding to 833/1000 silver.

The dark leather binding features a fine blind-stamped pattern and a spine with raised bands. All edges of the text block are gilt. This gilt edging, in particular, has remained remarkably beautiful despite its age. Marbled endpapers are present on the inside.

The text block itself is sturdy, and the interior has remained largely neat. The binding, however, shows clear signs of use. The hinges, in particular, are weakened and have been reinforced and repaired in the past. This is visible on the inside and along the spine. The book should be handled with care, but the condition of the binding requires some attention.

Details:

• Title: Het Nieuwe Testament, of alle boeken des Nieuwen Verbonds onzes Heeren Jezus Christus
• Translation: Statenvertaling
• Publisher: Nederlandsche Bijbel-Compagnie
• Publishers/printers: J. Brandt en Zoon and Johannes Enschedé en Zonen
• Place: Amsterdam and Haarlem
• Year: 1874
• Language: Dutch
• Contents: New Testament, Psalms, Hymns, and ecclesiastical texts
• Musical notation: present
• Binding: dark leather with blind-stamped decoration
• Spine: leather with raised bands
• Endpapers: marbled
• Edges: fully gilt
• Hardware: silver Bible clasp
• Silver content: second grade, 833/1000
• Silversmith: Andries Jacob Nobel, Schoonhoven
• Master mark: N99
• Period of master mark: 1872-1892
• Dimensions: approx. 15.5 × 10 cm
• Thickness: approx. 6 cm
• Provenance: Netherlands

Condition:
Reasonable to good antiquarian condition. The text block is sturdy, and the interior is largely neat for its age. The gilt edges have remained remarkably beautiful. The leather binding shows wear, especially along the spine and hinges. The hinges are weakened and have been reinforced and repaired with fabric on the inside in the past. The endpapers and some page edges at the front and back also show damage and signs of age. The silver clasp is present and functions as an important original component of the historic binding. See the photos for a complete picture of the condition.