1654 pocket Bible OT imprinted by Evan Tyler for a Society of Stationers with brass clasps and red ruling

Description

This 1654 pocket Bible imprinted by Evan Tyler, for a Society of Stationers, with brass clasps and red ruling, is highly significant. The red ruling, in particular, points to the book’s high-quality and premium nature, underscoring the owner’s status and the personal value they placed on this object of daily devotion.

Family, Mary June Davis.

Condition: ‘The Holy Bible, Containing the Old Testament and the New’ – imprinted at London by Evan Tyler, for a Society of Stationers, 1654, contemporary calf (cracked hinges, but holding & edges fraying)

Size: approx. 2 inches wide x approx. 4 5/8 inches tall x 1 3/8 inches thick – pocket size.

Significance of the printer Evan Tyler

Royal Printer and political shifts: Evan Tyler was an important printer who moved with the political winds of the time. Originally appointed King’s Printer in Scotland in 1642, he moved to London by 1652 after the English Parliament took over the Scottish printing patent. After the Restoration, he returned to Scotland and was again appointed King’s Printer.
Connection to the Stationers’ Company: The Stationers’ Company, a powerful London book trade guild, purchased Tyler’s printing business in Scotland around 1647. This allowed the company to expand its influence and secure a foothold in the Scottish market, shaping the print culture there. The 1654 bible is an example of the work he printed while active in London for the Company during the Commonwealth period.

Significance of the “pocket” format

• Encouraging personal piety: In the decades after the English Reformation, the practice of Bible reading shifted from the church lectern to the home. The production of pocket-sized Bibles took this a step further, enabling an individual to carry their own copy at all times. This encouraged private, continuous engagement with the text, a hallmark of Protestant theology.
• The rise of individual devotion: Larger folio-sized Bibles were expensive and intended for church or communal family use. The smaller, more portable pocket Bible, though still costly, represented a new level of personal ownership and access to scripture. This reflected the growing importance of the individual’s spiritual journey and direct relationship with God.
• A “personal companion”: As early as the 1520s, translator William Tyndale envisioned a time when “the boy that driveth the plough” could read the scriptures. By the mid-17th century, the pocket Bible brought this aspiration closer to reality. It allowed an individual to use the Bible as a constant “pocket companion,” to be read throughout the day for guidance and reflection.

Significance of the brass clasps

• Protection of a valuable object: The brass clasps served a practical purpose, holding the book closed and protecting the pages from damage. Even in a smaller format, a full Bible was a significant investment. The clasps indicate that the owner highly valued the book and sought to preserve it for years of regular use.
• Durability and luxury: Clasps, along with a sturdy leather cover, signified the book’s quality and suggested it was intended for an active, mobile life. The decorative nature of brass, contrasted with the more humble binding materials of simpler books, may also signal the owner’s status.

Significance of the publisher and timing

• Evan Tyler and the Stationers’ Company: The printer, Evan Tyler, was a notable figure in the mid-17th century, and the Company of Stationers held a near monopoly on printing in England. A Bible produced for the Company’s lucrative “English Stock” demonstrated its commercial power and control over the most important publication in the country.
• Context of the English Commonwealth: The year 1654 fell during the Interregnum, the period of the English Commonwealth ruled by Parliament after the execution of King Charles I. This Bible was therefore printed without a royal patent. It was a politically charged time when religious sects flourished, and direct, personal access to the Bible was vital for many English Protestants.

Why Evan Tyler’s Bibles are rare:

• • Time and attrition: As 17th-century books, many of Tyler’s Bibles would have been lost, damaged, or discarded over the centuries. Only a fraction of the original print run would have survived to the present day.
  • Historical context of the printing: Tyler’s printing career was linked to the turbulent politics of 17th-century Britain, particularly the English Commonwealth and Restoration periods. While working for the Company of Stationers, Tyler printed editions of the King James Version that were commercially important but subject to the printing irregularities of the time. These are not as readily available as later mass-produced Bibles.
  • Specialized market: Bibles printed by Evan Tyler are primarily found in:
    • Special collections: Held by university libraries and other major collections worldwide.
    • The antiquarian book market: Occasionally appear for sale through specialized book dealers and at auction, commanding prices based on rarity and condition.
  • Specific editions and formats: While any Evan Tyler Bible is considered a specialist collectible, some variations are more unique. For example, this pocket-sized, red-ruled, and brass-clasped version is rarer than a standard, large-format edition.