Creating composite New Testaments composed of mixed editions of the separately published Gospels and other books of the New Testament in Cherokee was a common practice at the Park Hill Mission Press in the middle of the 19th century.

The first complete New Testament came from the press of the American Bible Society with a publication date of 1860, but it seems not to have really been published until 1862.

Present are 13 separately published works containing 23 books of the N.T. in Cherokee using Sequoyah's syllabary (generally called the “Cherokee alphabet”) and printed at the famous Park Hill mission press.  Absent from the present offering are Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, and Jude only. The first three of these were printed as a unit, while Jude was a stand-alone.

There is one illustration, a crucifixion, in John.

This is the most complete composite N.T. in Cherokee that we have ever had in our more than a quarter century dealing in American Indian language materials and Bibles.

•  Matthew: Pilling, Proof-sheets, 4224; Newberry Library, Ayer Indians, Cherokee-7; not in Darlow & Moule. Mark: Not in Pilling, Proof-sheets (no edition listed); not in Newberry Library, Ayer Indians, (1850 edition listed); not in Darlow & Moule (1858 edition listed). Luke: Not in Pilling, Proof-sheets (no edition listed); not in Newberry Library, Ayer Indians, Cherokee-9; not in Darlow & Moule 2439. John: Pilling, Proof-sheets, 4228; Newberry Library, Ayer Indians, Cherokee-10; not in Darlow & Moule (1838 edition listed). Acts: Pilling, Proof-sheets, 4230; Newberry Library, Ayer Indians, Cherokee-7; not in Darlow & Moule. Romans: Not in Pilling, Proof-sheets; not in Newberry Library, Ayer Indians; not in Darlow & Moule 2446(?). Corinthians: Not in Pilling, Proof-sheets; not in Newberry Library, Ayer Indians; Darlow & Moule 2445. Philippians: Not in Pilling, Proof-sheets; not in Newberry Library, Ayer Indians; Darlow & Moule 2447 (?). Epistles of Paul: Pilling, Proof-sheets, 1214; Newberry Library, Ayer Indians, Cherokee-15; not in Darlow & Moule. Also see North & Nida, Book of a Thousand Tongues (1972), 215 for the publication of the various books of the Bible.   Modern black morocco, covers diced and blind-tooled, spine with gilt ruling/beading and a neat gilt spine-label. Most of the Bible parts are browned and more than a few have waterstains. Despite these not uncommon faults we are proud to offer this volume, for we know just how scarce an item it is.  (25891)

•  O’Callaghan 288–89; Hills 1161. Binding as above, carefully and reasonably rebacked, with portion of uppermost spine compartment left free of gilt; a few small scuffs, and some minor refurbishing over extremities. All edges gilt. First few leaves with outer edges ragged; pages very faintly age-toned, otherwise clean. A gorgeous copy, with the interesting manuscript additions described above.

Binding:  Publisher's papier maché boards covered with black plaster molded to create a gothic “carved wood binding.” The spine is black leather.

McLean states: “It was . . . the first of the so-called 'papier maché' bindings, contrived to look like carved ebony.”

•  Ray, The Illustrator and the Book in England, 231; McLean, Victorian Book Design (second edition), pp. 99, 210.   Very nicely preserved copy with just a few small cracks in the binding; no leaves detached (unusual in our experience). Final leaf explaining the rationale of the illuminations stained; no chromo pages themselves, affected. Perhaps the nicest example of this publication we've seen in more than a decade. Housed in a red cloth clamshell case.  (26693)

Binding: Pebbled black leather sumptuously gilt: The covers tooled with a design composed of a base and pavilion formed of foliated C and S curve volutes enclosing fine foliated strapwork. Ornate columns support the pavilion, which encloses a shell. From the base hang a pair of acroteria, and the base supports a vase of flowers on a rocaille. Board edges gilt-rolled; gilt inner dentelles. Spine divided into compartments by narrow raised bands: Each compartment with a frame of treble fillets, within the second compartment the title gilt-lettered, the remaining compartments ornamented within by fine foliated filigree. All edges gilt.

Provenance: Presentation copy to Harriet E. Henderson with her name in gilt centered on the front cover.

•  Not in Hills; not in Herbert; not in O'Callaghan. Binding as above with a few barely noticeable small abrasions. A few spots of light staining on some pages. As nice an example of this kind of Bible "production" as you are ever going to find.

Click the images for enlargements.

•  Pilling, Proof-sheets, 2830 (who lists it as by James rather than Frederick O'Meara); Newberry Library, Ayer Collection, Chippewa-32; Darlow & Moule 3034; Evans, Masinahikan, 570.   Recent black moiré cloth, spine with burgundy gilt-stamped leather title and publication labels. Soiling variously and mostly lightly, throughout, mostly to edges and corners; upper outer corner of initial blank repaired some time ago and some leaves at center with tip of lower outer corner chipped (nibbled) away; a few central leaves creased. A copy not “fresh,” but still worthy.  (21121)

Binding: Signed reddish-brown morocco binding by Root & Son, with covers and spine gilt extra; extremely wide and handsome turn-ins elaborately gilt tooled — these last are illustrated in our last image here.

•  Not in Darlow & Moule. Leather showing small rubbed spots over edges and extremities, with faint leather discoloration to part of front cover; front pastedown with traces of a now-absent bookplate. The weight of this substantial volume has partially cracked the front joint; however, with careful use (and storage on the volume’s back, not its lower edge), this damage should not quickly progress. A lavishly produced Victorian New Testament, in a still-impressive binding.

•  Front wrapper present, lacking rear one; removed from a bound volume. (15152)

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Provenance:  Presentation copy, front covers gilt-stamped “Presented to Samuel A. Crozer, by the teachers of the Upland Baptist Sunday School”; front pastedowns with armorial bookplate of Samuel Aldrich Crozer. Crozer was the son of John P. and Abigail Crozer, who endowed the Crozer Theological Seminary (now part of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School); he served as president of the seminary's Board of Trustees and erected the chapel of the Upland Baptist church.

Binding:  Signed binding by Lewis & Sons of London: Black morocco, covers framed and panelled in gilt fillets with gilt-tooled corner fleurons, spines gilt extra, front covers with gilt-stamped presentation as above; board edges gilt-dotted, turn-ins with gilt roll. All edges gilt.

•  This ed. not in Darlow & Moule (see 1193 for 1855 ed.).   Binding as above, very minor wear to corners and spine, overall bright and beautiful. Two vols. only, lacking first vol. of O.T. Front pastedowns each with private bookplates as above; then ex-library with stamps/annotations variously placed and of various generations, back pastedowns and free endpapers with paper adhesions; properly deaccessioned. One frontis. map with tear along one fold, neatly repaired from rear. A very few scattered small spots of light foxing in one volume, pages otherwise clean.  (26128)

Provenance:  The family register leaves record that one Peter Paul Shank, presumably the Bible's original owner, outlived three wives (born in 1833, he married in 1857, 1896, and 1903, and died in 1913 in Mineral Springs, NY). The birthdates of Shank and his wives are all listed, but no offspring are recorded.

Binding:  Publisher's deluxe embossed brown roan in imitation of morocco, covers with central medallions surrounded by ivy motifs, spine with gilt-stamped title and blind-tooled knotwork and floral decorations.

•  Hills 1796. Not in Wolf, From Gothic Windows to Peacocks.   Binding as above, minor rubbing to joints, edges, and extremities. 64 pp. of appended material (index, concordance, metrical Psalms) lacking, with Biblical text and index complete; four plates (of six) lacking, with no indication of their ever having been present. Sewing loosening; first few leaves partially separated. Pages age-toned with some foxing. Front free endpaper torn from outer edge; one leaf with tear from outer margin, extending into text without loss.  (24453)

•  Publisher’s cloth, front cover with gilt-stamped title; cloth faded along edges and spine. Front hinge (inside) slightly tender. Pages faintly age-toned; in fact, a very clean nice copy.

Binding: Ornately gilt- and blind-tooled black morocco (with but remnants of gilt on covers and spine) including gilt inner dentelles. White silk endpapers. Purple silk placemarker. All edges gilt.

•  Not in Hills. Binding as above, and at right; lightly rubbed and beautifully refurbished. Light foxing on engraved title-page and some plates; a few of the latter with traces of soiling; guard papers with occasional folding and a little tattering. Instances of light waterstaining, not affecting impression, on plates facing pp. 716 and 736; the plate facing p. 368 has remnants of adhesive. Pages lightly age-toned, with a few more instances of light waterstaining. Tears in the margins (only) of some leaves. Ownership inscription in ball point in a pretty hand on front pastedown, and notation in same hand on last page. Unusually solid for a centennial-era Bible of this size—the weight of such an imposing volume works against its retaining its covers as here, over the years.

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The gospels of Luke and John are in Sangir (a.k.a. Sangihe, a.k.a. Sangirese: Siau), an Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia and the Philippines, and despite the initial large printing, this publication of Luke and John is uncommon. We find only one copy reported in U.S. libraries.

•  Darlow & Moule 7976.   Publisher's black roan in imitation of straight-grain morocco, contents in gilt on front cover. Leather worn at edges and chipped from spine with some small loss; front joint (outside) starting and volume fragile. Internally very good. Now housed in a simple, acid-free phase box.  (25032)

•  Binding as above, with light rubbing; front pastedown with Leipzig bookseller's small ticket. Occasional faint smudges; pages mostly clean. A handsome thing.  (26301)

This is the first printing of any portion of the Bible in Fang (here Gabon-Fang). The translator was A.W. Marling of the American Presbyterian Mission.

Rare: We trace only two copies in U.S. libraries.

•  North & Nida, Book of a Thousand Tongues (1972), 387.   Publisher's black flexible leather (very black, not the charcoal that our photo seems to show!) stamped in blind and gold: chipped at edges and spine repaired. Now in a cloth clamshell case with a leather spine label.  (25426)

Click the interior image for an enlargement.

Uncommon: We find only one copy reported as held in a U.S. library.

•  Darlow & Moule 9538.   Publisher's red cloth stamped in blind and with one word in gilt on front cover. A very good copy.  (25045)

Sangir is an Austronesian language spoken inthe Philippines and Indonesia, especially in the Silawesi and Siau regions.

Click the interior image for an enlargement.

Uncommon: We locate only one copy in U.S. libraries.

•  Darlow & Moule 7983.   Publisher's red cloth. Very good copy.  (25001)

Click the images for enlargements.

The first translation of any portion of the Bible into Tolomako only occurred in 1904.

Given the small size of the Tolomako-speaking population, this must have been printed in an edition of 200 or fewer copies. We find only one copy in U.S. libraries.

•  Darlow and Moule 8064; Dance, Oceanic scriptures, 573.   Publisher's moiré-style dark green cloth, plain without lettering or labels. Front free endpaper excised with front hinge (inside) exposed; title-page with significant off-setting, therefore, from the binding. A good copy of a very scarce work.  (25030)

The first translation of any book of the Bible into Pangasinan did not come about until 1887, followed by the first Testament in 1908 and the first complete Bible in 1915. This is the first printing of the Pentateuch.  It was translated by Eduardo Benitez assisted by Teodoro Basconcillo and A. Rayner, all of the American Methodist Episcopal Mission. It has chapter headings and some footnotes.

Rare.  Searches of NUC Pre-1956, COPAC, and OCLC locate no copies in U.S. libraries and only the B.F.B.S. copy at Cambridge.

•  North & Nida, Book of a Thousand Tongues (1972), 346.   Publisher's flexible black fabric over light boards, stamped in blind on front cover; expertly rebacked and remnants of original spine reapplied. Small “nick” to fore-edge of first two leaves, without loss; paper a little age-toned, with interior otherwise quite clean. Housed in a dark blue cloth clamshell case.  (25180)

Only one U.S. library reports owning a copy of this translation.

Click the interior image for an enlargement.

•  Darlow & Moule 9564 (for the 1904 printing).   Publisher's quarter brown cloth with tan paper covers, stamped in blind. “Kazakhstan Russia” in ballpoint on the front free endpaper. A very good copy.  (25046)

Uncommon: We trace only one copy in U.S. libraries.

•  Publisher's black cloth; title blind-stamped on cover. All edges carmine. Light offsetting to the free endpapers. A very good copy, clean and even bright.  (25028)

Provenance:  Front cover gilt-stamped “Miles R. Bowers”; presentation leaf inscribed to Bowers by the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Royersford, PA.

•  Limp morocco-covered wrappers, front cover with gilt-stamped American flag, spine with gilt-stamped title; clean and in very good condition, contained in its original cardboard box with publisher's label, box showing only minor wear. Pages clean.  (6105)

Click the interior image for an enlargement.

The title-page states: “This book is one of 300 [copies] paid for by the parishioners of Beecroft and Cheltenham in the Diocese of Sydney, in memory of the Rev. Joseph Young, Rector of the Parish 1903-1926. He passed to his rest on the 21st January, 1945.”

Uncommon.  We trace only two copies in U.S. libraries.

•  Publisher's red cloth. “North Central New Georgia” in ballpoint on the front free endpaper. A very good copy.  (25022)