1883 Extensively Illustrated Douay Rheims Catholic Bible

This large extensively illustrated (full page black and white engravings as well as a number of chromolithographs) Roman Catholic antique family Bible has a beautiful decorative cover which consists of 3/8" thick leather covered boards embossed and gilded with intricate artwork, and depicts a cross and a number of scenes from the Bible (including the Last Supper). The text of this Bible is the so called Douay-Rheims Bible (or Doway Rheims Bible or D-R Bible), which is an English translation from the Latin Vulgate. The text covers the complete Old and New Testament as well as the books that are often referred to as the Apocrypha (which are part of the canon of the Roman Catholic Old Testament). To support the study of this Bible various notes and explanations are added to the text in chapter descriptions and footnotes. Numerous full pages engravings (including from the French artist Gustave Doré).

This Bible also has a large number of additional section (more than I have seen before in Douay Rheims Bibles), including approbations of the archbishops and bishops of the Holy Catholic Church in America, portraits of supreme pontiffs, archbishops and bishops, an extensive colored map section, various chronological and other valuable tables, an illustrated and comprehensive Catholic Bible dictionary, comprehensive history of the books of the Holy Catholic Bible, the parables of our Lord Jesus Christ, chronological index to the Old Testament, family section (with filled pages for what seems to be the Bushing ad Coombs family), the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Stations of the Holy Way of the Cross (illustrated), a preface to the New Testament, historical and chronological index to the New Testament, translations of the decree of the council of Trent, and some family portraits in the back.

This Bible is in an overall VERY GOOD condition. The Bible's binding, spine (which was lost over time and has been completely replaced) and cover have been very professionally restored and are absolutely solid. Usually with these Antique Bibles you have to be very careful when opening the book, but this Bible is in such an excellent condition that you do not have to worry about that and you can use and read it as if it was brand new and net almost 150 years old. All pages seem to be present but some are damaged (rough edges, some tears - especially in the front of the Bible). We did not notice any serious other problems nor foxing or water damages. The cover shows some age related scuffs and esp. the bottom/right corner misses the leather. See the many photo's for this rather extraordinary Bible!