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Dear All,

Though not subscribing to your list the recent correspondence on bibles has
been forwarded to me. At the Bible Society's Library one of the most
groan-inducing types of enquiry begins "I have found an old bible in my
Grandma's attic ..." It nearly always turns out to be a stereotyped BFBS
Authorized Version dated around 1880 - a time when they were produced in
their tens of thousands, never the elusive eleventh Gutenberg.

We make a point of not advising as to possible value, usually suggesting
they take it to an antiquarian dealer, though we sometimes point out that
in the case of Victorian Family Bibles, and AVs as described above, there
isn't much call for them on the market these days. If they want to donate
it we say we are happy to accept it with the proviso that if it's an
edition we hold in the collection we may pass it on to a worthy cause. This
has now come to mean 'Bible Aid', a branch of the charity 'Book Aid'.
Understandably Bible Society does not want to send out the message that a
bible is not of any use, as people often feel that it isn't right just to
throw it away.

That said, Aidan's two points - a) The fact that a volume was over 200
years old? and (b) The fact that it bore the imprint of an otherwise
obscure local  printer? - are worth examining. Bible Society's collection
is particularly interested in volumes by obscure local printers, as that is
an area in which we'd like to enrich the collection. Unfortunately I don't
have a budget to purchase, but I am happy to refund postage if applicable.
With items 17th-18th century or earlier, again we would be happy to accept
on similar terms, especially if we lack that particular edition.

We have a significant number of Welsh bibles in the collection, if you want
to send me details I'll check if we have yours.

Perhaps I ought to have begun, as I now end, by giving you a brief
introduction to the collection. Bible Society's Library and Archives cover
the 200 years of the life of the Society, formerly known as the British and
Foreign Bible Society. The library contains around 40000 bibles in over
2000 languages, and tries to acquire as many different
translations/versions as possible. If you would like to know more visit the
relevant page on the Cambridge University Library webpage
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/readershandbook/D1.html

I am happy to answer any questions if I can.

Rosemary Mathew
--
Senior Assistant
Bible Society's Library
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DR
tel: 01223 333075
email: [log in to unmask]