Bibles in the Rare Book Room

Bibles in the Rare Book Room

The Library's Rare Book Room houses a number of Bibles and Bible leaves.  The earliest in the collection--three manuscript Bible leaves on vellum--dates back to 1250 AD.  They range in size from about 12 cm to 47 cm in height and are bound in vellum, wooden boards, calf-skin, and paper.  Some were donated, some were purchased.  Some have very clean, unmarked pages, others are filled with personal notations.  Some were designed to be used in churches, other were made to be used by an individual. Languages vary, including English, Latin, Greek, Arabic, and French.  Some were published in Europe, some in the United States. One even includes a fore-edge painting.  The painting below is of Holy Trinity Church, the burial place of William Shakespeare.