The Illuminated Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Translated Out of the Original Tongues

New York: Harper and Brothers, 1846. First Edition. Large, thick quarto. 12.75 x 9 x 4 inches. Condition: Good. First book edition of Harper's Illuminated Bible (first issued in 54 parts). "Dated 1846 with, at foot of title, 'entered ... in the year 1843 by ' Frontispiece and illuminated title to each Testament. Table, Index and Concordance at the end. With Apocrypha." (Hills 1161) Illustrated with 1600 engravings by J. A. Adams, more than 1400 of which are from original designs by J.G. Chapman. 844, [1], 128, [6], 256, 3, [1], 8, 14, 34 pp. Inserted and not included in pagination: presentation leaf, main frontispiece, main half-title page, main title page, contents leaf, Apocrypha, family register pages, New Testament frontispiece, New Testament half-title page, and New Testament title page. Full leather boards with elaborate gilt tooling front and rear. Gilt turn-ins. All edges gilt. Black glazed endpapers. Two frontispieces, main and New Testament, both with tissue guards. Text in triple column, narrow middle column providing notations and glosses. Wood-engraved illustrations throughout. Engraved presentation leaf printed in sepia and black, engraved main half-title printed in red and black, main title page printed in blue and black, contents leaf printed in red and black, Apocrypha title printed in blue and black, engraved New Testament half-title printed in red and black, New Testament title page printed in sepia and black. Family register pages for marriages, births, and deaths inserted between Apocrypha and New Testament. First page of each register section engraved, marriages printed in blue and black, births in sepia and black, deaths in red and black. Boards heavily scuffed and edgeworn. Front board detached and backstrip missing, else binding is tight and secure. Text block square with sharp corners. Minor rubbing or scratching to gilt edges. Pages show general toning and scattered spotting, foxing, and smudging. Both frontispiece tissue guards intact. Presentation page and family register pages show entries inked in longhand. Else, pages free of markings or marginalia, except for some light penciled longhand at head of New Testament main title page. "The work was originally announced in 1843, and was issued in 54 numbers of 25ct each. J.A. Adams, the engraver, is credited with having taken the first electrotype in America from a woodcut. Many illustrations in this Bible are done this way. Artists were engaged for more than six years in the preparation of the designs and engravings included in this Bible, at a cost of over $20,000." (Hills 1161, quoting O'Callaghan) "This Harper publication was a remarkable production for its time and place, and retains its importance in the annals of American book-making. W.J. Linton, noted wood-engraver and author, knew 'no other book like this, so good, so perfect in all its undertakes.' The illustrations are like paintings of history, as are so many of the old European Biblical painting and illustrations" (Hills 1161, quoting Weitenhampf) Please note: This is an oversized or heavy item; additional shipping charges will apply.