Die Bibel, oder die ganze Heilige Schrift des Alten und Neuen Testaments, nach der deutschen Uebersetzung D. Martin Luthers, 1855

A mid-19th century German-language Bible in Martin Luther’s celebrated translation, printed in London in 1855 by W. Watts for the Gesellschaft zur Beförderung Christlicher Erkenntniß (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge). Issued with separate title pages for the Old and New Testaments, this edition reflects the international reach of Luther Bibles in the Victorian era, widely used among German-speaking communities both in Europe and abroad.

Die Bibel, oder die ganze Heilige Schrift des Alten und Neuen Testaments, nach der deutschen Uebersetzung D. Martin Luthers.

Includes separate New Testament title page:
Das Neue Testament unsers Herrn und Heilandes Jesu Christi, verdeutscht von D. Martin Luther. (London, 1855)

London: Gedruckt für die Gesellschaft zur Beförderung Christlicher Erkenntniß, von W. Watts, 1855.

(English: The Bible, or the Complete Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments, according to the German translation of Dr. Martin Luther. London: Printed for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, by W. Watts, 1855.)

Provenance: Cortachy Castle Library (book label to front pastedown), seat of the Ogilvy family, Earls of Airlie, Angus, Scotland.

A good contemporary full calf leather hardback with blind decorative borders to covers and spine, and with printed paper title label to spine. Leather is worn, bumped and rubbed and there are losses and wear to head and tail of spine. Endpapers cracked at inner hinges, but all still bound. Some age spotting to endpapers.

Text is bright and clean throughout. A few very minor spots to endpapers. Text block edges with speckled decoration.

A well-worn German Bible with an attractive vintage patina.

Text in German.

(4) + 114pp + 623pp (Old Testament) & 203pp (New Testament).

Dimensions: approximately 189mm high x 118mm wide x 52mm.

Approximate weight 705g (unpacked).