This is a rare Illuminated Bible because it contains 4-page (folio) signatures at the beginning which indicates the very first impressions which makes the quality better than others. Also has one of the four known Harper's covers. Originally published in 24 page parts which were sold on the streets. It became so popular that Harper's decided to bind full copies 3 years later and needed to reprint the first two parts so they would have enough to bind later. Most of the bound copies found are in 8-page signatures from A-H which are not noted on pages 1-64. Of 15 that I have looked at this is the first one that had 4-page signatures exactly the way parts 1 and 2 were issued which shows clearly that the first 64 pages were printed in 1843 and therefore better impressions.

The use of the word illuminated refers not to decoration in gold, but both to the high number of illustrations and to the fact the half-titles, title leaves, and the presentation, birth, death, and marriage leaves are printed using colored inks. The pages are 13" x 9".

This Bible was "entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by Harper & Brothers. In the Clerk's office of the Southern District of New York. Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 82 Cliff Street. 1846". A bibliography by the librarian [Margaret Thorndike Hills] of the American Bible Society, New York, in 1962, identified the location of nine copies of the Bible. In 1999, not including the above, I could identify the location of nine more copies.

Signed on Cover gold gilded EDW H MILES and on Token Page: Edward Harris Miles Family Bible 1846

MARRIAGES:

• Edward Harris Miles and Hannah Cardelia Stewart were married by the Reverend Joseph Castle on 23 March 1843 at 6 o'clock am at Mrs. Mercoinis 409 Chestnut St in Philadelphia
• John Henry Parsons and Sallie Harris Miles were married by Reverend Henry J. Martin on May 8, 1865 at Mary Mercoinis 1225 Chestnut St, Philadelphia

• Edward Harris Miles son of Edward and Deborah Miles born Phila December 30, 1812
• Hannah Cordelia Stewart daughter of Charles and Mary Stewart born in Philadelphia July 13, 1815
• Sallie Harris Miles daughter of Edward Harris and H. Cordelia Miles was born February 22, 1844 at Mary Mercoinis 409 Chestnut St. Phila at seven o'clock p.m.
• Edward Stewart Miles son of Edward Harris and H. Cordelia Miles was born October 5, 1845 at one o'clock am at Mary Mercoinis 409 Chestnut at Philadelphia (changed to 1225)
• Susie Stewart Miles daughter of Edward Harris and H. Cordelia Miles was born May 9, 1850 at nine o'clock pm at Mary Mercoinis 409 Chestnut St Philadelphia
• John Henry Parson was born in New York City New York Wednesday February 5, 1840.
• Clement Sheldon Parsons son of John H and Sallie H Parsons was born Sunday October 5, 1868 at the Palmer Mansion Williams Bridge Westchester County New York

• Edward Harris Miles died at 3 am on Wednesday May 17, 1876 aged 63 years 4 months and 27 days at 314 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
• John Henry Parson died Oriental Hotel Manhattan Beach Long Island Thursday July 24, 1890 aged 50 years 5 months and 19 days
• Hannah Cordelia Miles died 2:30 am Tuesday November 11, 1890 at 314 S. Broad St. Phila aged 75 years 3 months and 29 days

The Contents of the Bible are: 844, 128, 256, [60],[12],(OT, Apocrypha, NT). The 60 miscellaneous pages are: (3) alphabetical table of proper names, (1) Tables & Weights, (8) Chronological Index, (14) Index to subjects, (34) Concordance. There are twelve leaves of plates (12) including: Token page, Engraving 'Healing of Jacob and Joseph', Holy Bible leaf, Title leaf, Contents, Aprocrypha Title leaf, Marriage, Births, Deaths, Engraving 'Christ Healing Bartimeus', NT Colored leaf, NT Title page. And five (5) blamk leaves

This is a side view of the gold gilded edge. The pages are in very good condition. Because of new technology, at the time, the cost for this Bible was enormous, so it was first sold in parts. One section of the Bible [28 pages] was printed and it was sold on the street by what we now call newsboys. From the money earned on the first section, the publishers were able to print the second section and sell. They issued one part each month. Each section sold for $0.25. The print run was 50,000 each month. Harper & Brothers sold a total of fifty-four sections of 28 pages which include the colored front and back cover. At the end of the printing of 54 parts, in 1846, they produced bound copies with elaborate leather binding with gold gilding on the front, back and spine. Or you could have the Bible bound by a bindery of your choice.

This view is of the bottom and top edges of the Bible showing how tight the pages are to the spine. Harper & Brothers sold a total of fifty-four sections of 28 pages which include the colored front and back cover. At the end of the printing of 54 parts, in 1846, they produced bound copies with elaborate leather binding with gold gilding on the front, back and spine. Or you could have the Bible bound by a bindery of your choice.

This is title page of Old and New Testaments showing 1846 date.

This prospectus says:

Complete in about 50 numbers at 25 cents. Harper's Illuminated and New Pictorial Bible. Embellished with Sixteen Hundred Historical Engravings, Exclusive of an initial letter to each chapter, By J.A.[Joseph Alexander] Adams [1803-1880], More than fourteen hundred of which are from original designs, by J.G.[John Gadsby] Chapman [1808-1889]. It will be printed from the standard copy of the American Bible Society, and contain Marginal References, the Apocrypha, a Concordance Table, List of Proper Names, General Index, Table of Weights, Measures, etc. The large Frontpiece, Titles to the Old and New Testaments, Family Record, Presentation plate, Historical Illustrations, and Initial Letters to the chapters, Ornamental Borders, etc., will be from original designs, made expressly to this edition by J. G. Chapman, Esq., of New York. In addition to which, there will be numerous large engravings, from designs by distinguished modern artists in France and England; to which a full index will be be given in the last number [not done]. The Great superiority of early proof impressions, from the Engravings, will ensure in those who take the work in Numbers the possession of it in The Highest State of Perfection

Jonathan Byrd's Rare Books and Bibles refers to this Bible as: "An absolute masterpiece of printing, and one of the ten most important ever printed in America". W. J. Linton, noted wood-engraver and author knew "no other book like this, so good, so perfect in all it undertakes. The illustrations are like picturings of history as are many of the old European Biblical paintings and illustrations".

The engraver, Joseph A. Adams was the first in America to use the electrotype process from woodcut engravings. He was hired by Harper & Brothers on a half-contract basis at $6,000 and he had an arrangement that he would see the whole project through to the end. Artists were engaged for more than six years in the preparation of the designs and engravings at a cost of $25,000.

1,400 of the 1,600 engravings were designed by J. G. Chapman and the prim line-work of the drawings was carefully reproduced by Harper and Brothers. Chapman was paid a little over $2,000 for his drawings.

This particular illustrations is titled WISE MEN FROM THE EAST.

There are 187 5"x7" illustrations in this Bible. It is mentioned that a total of 1,400 of the 1,600 illustrations (excluding the letters) were done by Chapman. All but forty-three are decorated with an elaborate border. These illustrations were done by unnamed artists from England and France and Chapman added borders (43 exceptions without a border). It's interesting to note that the Chapman borders around the other 145 illustrations are only nine different designs.

The 1,400 illustrations referred to above were done by Chapman. These are set into the text throughout the Bible to depict the verse. 215 of these were placed at the beginning of the chapter in lieu of using a letter. There are 1,361 chapters in the Bible. At the beginning of each chapter Harper inserted a floriated letter to begin the Chapter or an image by Chapman or in some cases (18) no image or letter. There are 1,078 floriated initials that begin 1,078 verses. Each of these letters are different engravings. There are 353 different A's, 210 different T's and 107 different N's. There are no Q's or X's and only 1 V and Z and 3 R's and Y's.

Signature numbering. As mentioned before, the parts were in 4-page signatures. The bound Bibles from 1846 on have the following signature markings:

• The Old Testament: is numbered I through 5O beginning on page 65. A through H is not marked on the first 64 pages. The numbering skips the letter J and is I-Z, Aa Bb Cc to Zz and Aaa Bbb Ccc-Zzz and then 4A 4B 4C to 5O.
• The Apocrypha: is numbered A-Q and 1-16 with the A starting on page 1 and the 1 starting on page 5. J is also skipped here and the letter P is not numbered. In place of P on page 109 is 14.
• The New Testament: is numbered A-Ii and 1-32. The A starts on page 1 (also skips J) and the 1 starts on page 5. The numbering follows X Y Z Aa Bb Cc and for some reason skips the letter V and the letter W in this series.

The floriated letters are examples of the over 1000 letters that John Chapman put into the Illuminated Bible. Click on any of these letters for a larger image.

Condition:

Restoration by The Gilded Leaf: Fine Bookbinding & Restoration:
Pulled, spine cleaned, headbands rebuilt. Flyleaves puiled and linen joints oversewn. Spine lined, new hollow, Leather lifted from boards at outer joints, split at inner joints under pastedowns. New spine of red morrocco dyed and worked under original leather, headcaps formed. Linen joints lined with kitikata and slipped under pastedowns. Original spine water blackened, brittle Linings removed from rear, new rauised bands worked in to replace crumbled originals, then laid over new spine. Hewitt leather dyes used to blend.