That Bible or the Whole Sacred Scripture of the Old and New Testaments (1868) - B.G. Teubner Leipzig

A beautifully executed German Luther Bible from 1868, printed and published by B. G. Teubner in Leipzig and Dresden. This revised edition contains the Old and New Testament according to Martin Luther's German translation and features full gilt edges, gilt decoration and a portrait of Luther as a steel engraving frontispiece.

The Bible has a characteristic 19th-century appearance. The dark binding bears the gold-stamped text “Jahn's Stiftung.” on the front cover, within a decorative gold border. The spine reads “Die Heilige Schrift”. Despite its age, the full gilt edges are still strikingly visible. Inside are finely decorated endpapers with a repeating motif.

The personal history preserved in the book is particularly noteworthy. Behind the front endpaper is an extensively calligraphed handwritten dedication from 1870, among others in the names of Christian Heinrich Louis Göring and Emilie Amalie. The inscription dates from just two years after publication and together with “Jahn's Stiftung” forms an interesting trail to the early history of this copy.

In addition to the Bible text, the edition contains, among other things, the apocryphal books, explanations of old and difficult-to-understand German words and an extensive overview of epistles and gospels for Sundays and holidays throughout the church year.

An authentic 19th-century Luther Bible with an attractive original edition and tangible personal history.

Details:

• Title: Die Bibel oder die ganze Heilige Schrift des Alten und Neuen Testaments
• Translation: according to the German translation by Dr. Martin Luther
• Edition: Revidirte Ausgabe, Zwölfter Abdruck
• Publisher: B. G. Teubner
• Place of publication: Leipzig and Dresden
• Year: 1868
• Country of origin: Germany
• Language: German
• Script: Fraktur
• Contents: Old Testament, apocryphal books and New Testament
• Size: VI + 1052 + 299 pages
• Illustration: portrait of Martin Luther as a steel engraving frontispiece
• Binding: contemporary black bound binding with leather spine
• Decoration: gold-stamped border and inscription “Jahn's Stiftung.”
• Spine title: “Die Heilige Schrift”
• Edges: full gilt edges
• Endpapers: decoratively printed with repeating motif
• Special features: handwritten calligraphed inscription from 1870
• Dimensions: approx. 23.5 × 15 cm
• Thickness: approx. 5.3 cm

Condition:
Moderate, clearly used antique condition. The binding shows considerable wear, particularly on the leather spine, edges, corners and headbands. The connection between the text block and the binding is severely weakened and has completely detached at the back. The front hinge is also fragile and a decorative endpaper is loose. The interior shows age-related discoloration, scattered spots and local signs of use, but is mostly well readable. The full gilt edges are still clearly present and form a visually beautiful contrast with the dark binding. Due to the fragile binding, the book should be handled carefully.