Bible in Miniature or a Concise History of both Testaments. John Harris. London. Circa 1806. >>HUGELY INFLUENTIAL RARE THUMB BIBLE<<

Bible in Miniature. Or a Concise History of Both Testaments. Harris, J., late Newbery. & for Darton & Harvey. London. Circa 1806. (Adomeit said 1802-7, Bondy said c. 1790, Welsh said 1807 and the earliest copy with a dated inscription was from 1809). A new text, unlike earlier Harris or Newbery editions, that uses the long "s". 254 printed pages plus colophon at end. 15 full-page engraved plates supposed to be opposite pages 12, 18, 27, 42, 50, 71, 74, 86, 90, 106, 111, 116, 192, 199, and 221, but most inserted incorrectly. printed by Darton & Harvey, Gracechurch Street, London. Engraved title-page. A significant change in text to the more common miniature Newberry Bible, the illustrations were re-engraved, and are much less crude & significantly better designed than the Newbery ones; the preface states "It is not a very pleasant reflection" (instead of "It is a melancholy reflection"). First few leaves slightly foxed. Original cream endpapers. Contemporary ink ownership inscription on front free endpaper. Provenance: Emma Freeman. 32 x 50 mm. Original publisher's red straight-grained morocco; covers panel mitred in blind; spine with "The Bible" in gilt and six horizontal lines in gilt. The binding is not one mentioned in Adomeit's extensive description but does resemble the bindings used for Alfred Mills' Short History of the Bible and New Testament. In 1802, John Harris took over Elizabeth Newberry's publishing house and effectively created a new text in favour of the New Testament and high quality new illustrations for this Thumb Bible, having a widespread impact on their production in the USA after 1811 (although considerably less impact in the UK as it only reached a total of five editions here). Gottfried Adam, 168-170. Adomeit, B69. Houghton, 27. Roscoe, ThumbBibles, 42. Spielmann, 18. Welsh, 1022. OCLC, 225867303. WorldCat locates 2 copies worldwide (in Indiana and Virginia University libraries).…