1763 John Baskerville Cambridge Pulpit Bible

Offered is an authentic and substantial 1763 Baskerville Pulpit Bible, one of the masterpieces of eighteenth-century English printing and typography. Printed in Cambridge by John Baskerville, this monumental folio Bible is widely regarded as the finest edition of the King James Bible produced during the eighteenth century and one of the most beautiful books ever printed in the English language. Baskerville's Bible is often described as his magnum opus, representing the culmination of his innovations in typography, papermaking, ink formulation, and presswork. Only about 1,250 copies of the folio Bible were printed.

This copy includes:

• Complete Old Testament
• Complete Apocrypha
• Separate New Testament title page
• Index to the Holy Bible
• Chronological tables
• Decorative engraved and typographic title pages
• Wide red-ruled margins characteristic of Baskerville's design

The typography is exceptionally crisp, with generous margins preserved throughout. The paper remains bright with only moderate foxing typical of a 260-year-old volume.

• Complete text with Genesis through Revelation and concluding Index present.
• Attractive nineteenth-century full calf binding, likely a Victorian rebinding or rebacking preserving the original text block.
• Raised bands with gilt spine title.
• Wear to the head and foot of the spine and rubbing to extremities.
• Moderate foxing throughout.
• Text block remains clean, sound, and highly presentable.
• Large, untrimmed margins retain Baskerville's distinctive red ruling.

This is an excellent collector's copy suitable for both display and scholarly use.

John Baskerville revolutionized book production during the Enlightenment. Dissatisfied with the coarse appearance of contemporary printing, he redesigned nearly every aspect of the printing process.

Among his innovations were:

• his now-famous Baskerville typeface
• exceptionally smooth paper (developed with James Whatman)
• rich black inks
• precisely finished presses
• spacious page layouts with generous margins

This Bible was printed in 1763, one of the most consequential years in British history.

That year saw:

• The signing of the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years' War.
• Britain emerge as the dominant global imperial power.
• King George III on the throne.
• The early stirrings of political tensions that would eventually lead to the American Revolution.
• The height of the Enlightenment, when advances in science, philosophy, and printing transformed European intellectual life.

Printing this Bible required special authorization. At the time, the King James Bible could legally be printed only by the King's Printer or by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Baskerville secured appointment as Printer to the University of Cambridge, allowing him to produce this extraordinary folio edition. 

The 1763 Baskerville Bible has long been regarded as one of the supreme achievements of English typography. Institutions such as the Museum of the Bible, Trinity College Dublin, and Canterbury Cathedral preserve copies as highlights of their rare book collections. Its influence on printing, typography, and book design continues more than two and a half centuries after its publication.

Dimensions:

• Weight - 10.2kg
• Height - 51cm
• Width - 34.5cm
• Thickness - 8.5cm