1729 Swedish Bible W/ Brass Clasps, Printed 8 Years After The Great Northern War

Offered here is a handsome and historically significant 1729 Swedish Bible, printed in Stockholm by Benjamin Gottlieb Schneider. This edition follows the official 1703 Carolingian Bible (Karl XII's Bible), the authorized Swedish translation that remained the standard Bible of Sweden for more than two centuries.

Bound in its original blind-tooled calf over substantial wooden boards, the volume retains its original decorative brass clasp furniture, an increasingly uncommon survival. The text is printed throughout in crisp Fraktur type with ornamental initials, decorative woodcut headpieces, and extensive biblical cross-references. Also present is the desirable "En liten Biblisk Ordelista", a glossary explaining archaic Swedish words found within the Scriptures.

Beyond its physical beauty, this volume also preserves over eighty years of family history. Numerous contemporary manuscript inscriptions record births and family events between the mid-eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, transforming the Bible into both a religious text and an important genealogical document.

The Carolingian Bible

The translation contained within this Bible is known today as the Carolingian Bible (Karl XII:s Bibel), first published in 1703 during the reign of King Charles XII of Sweden.

Rather than producing an entirely new translation, scholars carefully revised the earlier Gustav Vasa Bible of 1541, modernising the language while remaining faithful to the Lutheran tradition established during the Swedish Reformation.

For generations this became the official Bible of Sweden. It remained the authorised version until the publication of the 1917 Swedish Bible, serving Swedish churches and households for more than two centuries.

For Swedish collectors, its importance is comparable to the King James Bible in the English-speaking world or Luther's Bible in Germany.

Benjamin Gottlieb Schneider

This Bible was printed by Benjamin Gottlieb Schneider, one of Stockholm's foremost eighteenth-century printers. Schneider was entrusted with producing official religious and governmental works, reflecting the close relationship between the Swedish Crown, the Lutheran Church, and the printing trade.

Because Bible printing was tightly regulated by the Swedish state, editions such as this represent officially sanctioned publications rather than commercial ventures.

Historical Context

This Bible was printed in 1729, only eight years after the conclusion of the Great Northern War , one of the defining conflicts in Northern European history.

The war had ended Sweden's period as a dominant European military power. Following the death of King Charles XII in 1718, the country entered what historians call the Age of Liberty, during which political authority shifted away from absolute monarchy toward the Swedish Parliament .

Despite political change, Sweden remained a deeply Lutheran nation, and the Bible continued to occupy the centre of religious and domestic life. Family Bibles such as this one were read daily, used for household devotions, and frequently served as the official record of births, marriages, and deaths before modern civil registration.

Only a few years after this volume was printed, Carl Linnaeus would begin publishing the works that transformed natural history and scientific classification, making this Bible a witness to one of Sweden's most intellectually influential periods.

Family Provenance

The volume contains numerous manuscript family entries recording births and family events from approximately 1742 through 1828.

Several names remain readily legible, including members of the Bernhard and Lindberg families, with entries recording the births of children across several generations. These inscriptions greatly enhance the historical interest of the Bible, preserving nearly a century of Swedish family history within its original pages.

Such family registers are among the most appealing features of Scandinavian Bibles, offering an authentic glimpse into the lives of those who owned and treasured them.

Physical Description

• Stockholm: Benjamin Gottlieb Schneider, 1729.
• Complete Old and New Testament.
• Separate New Testament title page dated 1729.
• Includes "En liten Biblisk Ordelista" (Biblical glossary).
• Printed in clear Fraktur type.
• Decorative woodcut ornaments and historiated initials throughout.
• Original full calf binding over wooden boards.
• Original decorative brass clasp furniture retained.
• Text in Swedish.

Condition

Bound in a contemporary or near-contemporary calf binding over wooden boards, retaining much of its original eighteenth-century structure. The binding has undergone historical repairs and partial restoration, particularly around the hinges and spine. Decorative brass clasp furniture, likely added during a later restoration, remains present although the leather fastening straps exhibit losses and wear. The front inner hinge is split, though the text block remains secure. The pages are generally clean with expected age toning, occasional staining, and numerous contemporary family inscriptions spanning the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Dimensions:

Weight - 1.84kg 

Height - 23cm

Width - 14cm

Thickness - 9.5cm