R.L. Allan's KJV Cambridge Crystal Edition

I got the R.L. Allan's Cambridge Crystal Edition when my KJV Ruby arrived. I enjoy this little bible. It was described as having a kid goatskin cover which would imply that it was very supple. I have found as with other Cambridge editions that it is not near as supple as my R.L. Allan NIV Bold Reference Edition or the Ruby for that matter.

For it's size it does have extremely clear (yet small) type and is very functional for travel. The print is fine and many who do not have exceptional vision might find it very hard to read without reading glasses. Despite that it is a very well made bible. This costs about 30 sterling pounds or (less than 50 US greenbacks) and is well worth the money if you are looking for a KJV that you can take with you. I do all my memorization of scripture in KJV despite the fact that I read the ESV and NIV quite frequently. This bible is great to take with me for a back up reference when I get stuck on a set of verses that I am memorizing.

It comes with a pretty good concordance. It reminds me of a shrunken Cambridge RD266 in goatskin leather without the maps of course. The smell is great and the paper of excellent quality. It is small though, which is the point since it is a more of a pocket or travel bible. A great edition to my collection. Smyth sewn and all that jazz. A very high end quality pocket bible. One that will last unlike those tiny ones you get from Zondervan or one of the other bookstore type.

R.L. Allan's website calls it the Allan CC1 Cambridge Crystal Edition. The R.L. Allan's site shows that they are not selling it anymore but they may be waiting for a reprint. The link to R.L. Allan's website is here.

http://bibles-direct.com/

R.L. Allan & Sons Oxford Ruby Edition

I was very pleased with the latest edition to my Bible collection. The Oxford Ruby Edition by R.L. Allan & Sons. As always, R.L. Allan does a great job giving me a bible I can cherish for many years to come. It is in the King James Version and it feels like an true old fashioned bible from generations past.

It comes with a concordance in the back and a list of proper names. This bible also has 15 lined pages in the back for note taking and 4 pages of color maps. The maps are Background of the Exodus, The Background of The Old Testament, Palestine in Old Testament Times, The Background of the New Testament, and Palestine in New Testament Times.

Ribbon marker is a bold single purple ribbon marker that seems sure to hold up as I have seen with many other Allan editions. The full yap cover gives this bible an old world look and the feel of the Highland Goatskin leather is the best I have had the pleasure of owning so far. My NIV Bold Reference Edition (also in Highland Goatskin leather) has a shiny but elegant feel to it. What I notice different about the Ruby edition is the leather is not shiny but actually softer in my opinion.

Now to the bad news. The bible ink has a tendency to smear just a little when you put your fingers on the page for awhile and then remove them. I noticed that the ink does not like the oil on my fingers or water for that matter. I'd say it is certainly worth owning but you will have to wash and dry your hands very well before handling this one. Overall, it is a great bible worth owning. It is small but fits in the hand quite nicely. I just simply love this ruby edition.

 

R.L. Allan & Sons TNIVP Bible

I picked this up for my wife. Excellent little Bible. Fits into the back pocket of your jeans with R.L. Allan quality to boot. Closure strap works excellent and seems very durable. It is highland goatskin but it is a hardcover and not a softcover. Still has an very nice smell to it. Also has black silk pockets on the inside cover as well.

Little baby is smyth sewn and opens relatively flat. It is imperial purple which just happens to be my wife's favorite color. I would actually consider buying one for myself in the near future maybe in British Tan Highland Goatskin. A nice pocket Bible if you like the TNIV version.

 

After seeing my second purchase of an R.L. Allan's Bible, I have to say that they are clearly the best quality Bibles in my opinion. I have been disappointed with other Bibles but nothing from R.L. Allans has disappointed so far. Great quality that will last.

 

 

 

 

The NIV Archaelogical Bible

This is the review of the NIV Archaelogical Bible by Zondervan. It is a great concept that is worthy of owning. It gives tutorials and discusses the history of the Old Testament and New Testament times while showing pictures of ancient texts and artifacts. It talks of the author of each book before the book begins and shows cultural facts and highlights of the time the book was written. An outline of each book and it's themes are presented before each book starts as well.

Throughout each book it gives pictures and further discussions that are relevant to the events of the book. The pictures of the artifacts and the discussions of historical events related to topics mentioned in each book are very valuable to learning about how history and the Bible connect.

Is it sturdy? Well, it won't last as long as an R.L. Allan & Sons Bible  would but it seems to be well made for a hard back. It opens flat and is well-illustrated. This Bible is loaded with information that all Bible readers should have in their library. I actually use it quite a bit more than I thought I would. It is a great resource to own if you are interested in Jewish culture or early Christian culture. I discovered that they have quite a variety of artifacts that I never even knew existed.

We all know about the Shroud of Turin but it is very interesting to see images and notes on casting lots or banking and money in the ancient world. As far as I am concerned, it is a must have. If you go to Amazon.com, you can find it for about $35 US Dollars or less.

KJV Cambridge Concord Edition in Goatskin

This KJV Cambridge Concord Edition is much like the one in Calfskin mentioned below. However, it is bound in goatskin. The cover is supple (soft) and it feels good in the hands. Certainly my second most loved in the collection. Nothing can compare to my R.L Allan's NIV in highland goatskin but this bible is close. It has the same text, gold gilt edges, two silk ribbon markers, maps, concordance, and dictionary as the Concord Edition in Calfskin. It does have red letter text for the words of Christ which the Calfskin Edition did not come with.

Very flexible, that ol' goatskin, as you will see in some of the other pictures below. I bet your bible can not bend over backwards like mine unless of course it is a paperback.

Nice and neat. Clear text with no bleed through. Gold gilt pattern around the edge of the inner binding too. Leather lined on the inside as well.

If you would like a bible like this, it is very expensive from Cambridge directly but I will give you the link anyway. http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521512978

The best thing to do is find a bookseller online such as Christianbooks.com or Allbibles.com and see if you can find it cheaper. I got mine 50% cheaper than the going price from Cambridge. It sells from Cambridge at a whopping 125 english pounds which is about $247 US dollars at the moment. I think I paid just a hair over $100 for mine so do your shopping before you buy.

Stitching and a great binding allow for these types of feats. The bible is very strong and can withstand daily use for decades.