Name/Title
Woodburn Family BibleEntry/Object ID
2011.020.0001Description
This massive tome is representative of the Bibles found in Victorian homes. This one was presented by Benjamin M. Woodburn to Harriet A. Woodburn, his wife, on November 1, 1894. The family record pages had been removed from the book sometime after it came to the Society, but are now back with the book.
12 1/2"h x 10 1/2"w x 4" deep dark brown leather covered boards. The heavily embossed boards are 3/8" thick. Each cover has a gold embossed rendering of flowers and vines and banners and other motifs on each corner. Top left is the disciple Matthew; his banner says, "He was a Galilean by birth, a Jew by religion, and a publican by trade." Top right is the disciple Mark; his banner says, "He dwelt as a man among men." Lower right is the disciple John; his banner says, "He was born in Bethesda and is spoken of as the disciple who Jesus loved." Lower left is the disciple Luke; his banner says, "He was a native of Antioch a friend of Paul who called him the best physician." These same motifs are repeated on the back cover. Each corner is set off by a deeply incised groove. In the center of each cover is a raised shield with a gold outline, a horizontal band across it and the image of a stem filled with slender leaves. It would have been possible to have the family name put on the horizontal band, but it would have worn off quickly. Golden leaves and vines were on all the edges of the cover. The spine had six panels. The all-seeing eye was in the top panel, "Self-Pronouncing Bible" in the second panel, a six-pointed star in the third panel, a Maltese cross in the fourth panel, "Bible Dictionary and Cities of the Bible" in the fifth panel, and an altar in the sixth panel. Just above the very bottom of the spine "2000 Illustrations."
The three end papers are very heavy cream paper with a black hinge. Before the title page is a full color page of religious symbols, including Moses with the ten commandments and Jesus with a lamb. The title page says the text is supplemented by a dictionary, pronunciation guides, histories of various religious denominations, a description of the tabernacle, etc., etc. and over 2000 illustrations. B.F. Johnson Publishing Co. in Richmond, Virginia published this huge book and entered it at the Library of Congress in 1892. There are colored maps of the eastern Mediterranean, many black and white engravings of Bible stories, an illustrated section of animals and birds of the area, an illustrated section on plants and money, another section of illustrated stories, a section on the alphabets, a description of the wanderings of the Israelites, and descriptions of the tabernacle and other temples. A very small sample of a wallpaper book appeared here between the pages. There follow biographies of translators, reformers, and martyrs, discussion about the proverbs and parables, and twenty-four pages of Bible stories for children. There are 112 pages of a dictionary, followed by a history of books of the Bible. There is a sixteen page guide for pronunciation of proper names and finally and at last, the Old Testament. Between p. 362-363 was a small pressed flower. Nearly 700 pages led to the Family Temperance pledge page, which no one in the family signed. They may not even have known it was there. There are illustrated stories about Jesus and the apostles and a discussion about the parables, wherein are several color illustrations. There are sixteen pages of the Hofmann Gallery of New Testament Illustrations, finally followed by the New Testament itself. Rather crude color pictures are sprinkled throughout the text, plus many black and white engravings. There is a chronology of events in impossibly small print and a glossary of subjects, places, and people mentioned in the text. The Psalms of David are rendered into metre; the final page is torn away nearly to the spine. Next are two heavy board pages meant to contain family photos. There may have been photos at some time, but they are not there now. The same cream color heavy end papers complete the volume. These pages are heavily stained.Collection
Woodburn Family CollectionDimensions
Height
12-1/2 inWidth
10-1/2 inDepth
4 inDimension Notes
Details: text block=11 3/8" x 9 1/8" x 2 7/8"
covers=3/8" thickLocation
Container
Woodburn Family BibleShelf
Rack 10, Shelf 4Rack
Rack 10Wall
North wallRoom
Archives 1Building
Tudor HallRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Woodburn, Benjamin M.Person or Organization
Woodburn, Harriett A.