Thomas Stackhouse, M.A.
A History of the Holy Bible, from the Beginning of the World to the Establishment of Christianity
New Edition – Complete in Two Volumes – 1846
Published by Blackie & Son, Queen Street, Glasgow; South College Street, Edinburgh; and Warwick Square, London, 1846.
A handsome and substantial two-volume Victorian edition of the celebrated biblical history of the Rev. Thomas Stackhouse, combining the narrative of Scripture with historical, chronological, geographical and theological material.
The title page describes this as a New Edition, containing numerous notes intended to reconcile apparent contradictions and rectify mistranslations, together with additional material drawn from commentators, critics and Eastern travellers, dissertations and complete indexes.
The work extends from the beginning of the biblical narrative through to the establishment of Christianity.
This copy has been checked and contains:
The folding charts are particularly impressive, presenting biblical chronology and genealogies across substantial fold-out sheets.
A contemporary publisher's advertisement for this edition calls for 17 engravings. Counting the portrait together with the 15 full-page engraved plates gives 16 engravings in the present set; it therefore appears that one engraved plate may be absent. The six folding charts and title-page vignette are additional to the above count. The set is offered and described accordingly, rather than represented as complete as to its engraved plates.
A matching two-volume set bound in full brown leather, with blind-tooled borders to the boards and contrasting black leather spine labels, lettered in gilt:
HISTORY OF THE HOLY BIBLE – STACKHOUSE – VOL. I / VOL. II
The bindings have considerable antiquarian character and present attractively together on the shelf.
Volume I: xxxii, 1–532
Volume II: 533–1185
The pagination is continuous across the two volumes.
Size of each volume: approximately 274 × 198 mm
Combined weight: approximately 3157 g
A sound antiquarian set with age and usage wear.
The leather bindings are rubbed and scuffed, with wear to the boards, edges, corners, spine extremities and external hinges, as shown in the photographs. The gilt-lettered spine labels remain present and clearly legible.
The text blocks are firm and the leaves remain secure.
Internally there is general age-toning and occasional foxing/spotting. There are occasional areas of old water staining particularly affecting some of the plates. Some plates and surrounding leaves display foxing and other age-related marks.
There are old ownership inscriptions/writing at the front of the volumes.
The folding charts have survived well considering their age, although naturally displaying folds, creasing and signs of handling. Other occasional marks and signs of use should be expected in a set approaching 180 years old.
As noted above, the set contains 15 full-page engraved biblical plates plus the engraved portrait, whereas contemporary publisher's information calls for 17 engravings; one engraved plate therefore appears to be lacking.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
A very attractive and imposing 1846 two-volume illustrated history of the Bible, particularly desirable for its original-style leather bindings, extensive engraved illustration and surviving suite of six folding chrono-genealogical charts.
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