R.L. Allan ESV New Classic Readers Edition

Aug 27

A closer look at this stunning exclusive printing of a classic ESV typesetting.

We’ve reached the third week of my series on large ESV premium reference Bibles. Following reviews of the Schuyler Quentel and the Cambridge Topaz, it’s now time to take a look at a Bible from the third member of the “Big Three,” the R.L. Allan New Classic Readers Reference Edition.

R.L. Allan & Son Publishers began printing Bibles all the way back in 1863. Originally located in Glasgow, this small, family-owned business is now headquartered in London. They are regarded for their high quality bindings that are handcrafted in small batches using premium materials and traditional construction techniques. Allan is perhaps best known for their printing of Authorized King James Version Bibles based on vintage typesettings from Oxford University Press, but they also make limited runs of Bibles in other translations, and in recent years their ESV Bibles have become extremely popular.

The New Classic Readers Reference Edition is Allan’s flagship ESV Bible, and this particular copy is very special to me as it was a gift from my parents when I graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary earlier this year.

Allan New Classic Readers Reference Edition – Overview

Unlike Schuyler and Cambridge, who primarily print Bibles with typesettings of their own design, Allan’s standard method for printing non-KJV Bibles is to take preexisting text blocks from other publishers and bind them using Allan’s own premium materials and techniques. This means that the majority of Allan’s ESV offerings are text blocks designed and printed by Crossway.

The ESV New Classic Readers Reference Edition, however, is a bit different.

For this Bible (commonly known as the ESV NC1), Allan took Crossway’s midsize Classic Reference typesetting and commissioned their very own exclusive printing that is 10% larger than the original and printed on high-quality 36 GSM paper by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands before being bound in the UK by Charfleet Book Bindery in premium highland goatskin (see video review for a comparison of the two). The result is a stunning Bible that elevates this classic ESV typesetting to new heights.

FEATURES
• Edge-lined natural grain highland goatskin cover
• Generous semi-yapp
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Red-under-Gold art gilding
• Three ribbon markers
• 36 GSM PrimaBible paper
• Cross-references
• Book introductions
• Concordance
• 32 pages of full-colour maps and illustrations
• 32 pages of lined writing paper
• 6.25” x 9.25” trim size
• 1.55” thick
• 10pt type size

The Allan Difference

As you can see from the features listed above, the ESV NC1 is a fully loaded reference edition with specs similar to what we saw with the Schuyler Quentel and Cambridge Topaz. One significant change that Allan made in this exclusive printing is that the words of Christ are in black, unlike the red-letter text of Crossway’s original typesetting. They also used premium 36 GSM paper, which helps make up for the fact that the text is not line-matched (a change they could not make to the original typesetting without a complete overhaul). The main text is a comfortable-to-read 10pt type size with only slight distraction here and there from ghosting.

In terms of page layout, this Allan is most different from the other premium large ESV Bibles in that it places cross-references in a center column (see photo above). References for the biblical text to the left are justified at the top of this column, whereas references for the text on the right are justified at the bottom (on pages with more cross-references than will fit in the center column, the additional entries can be found at the bottom of the right column of biblical text). This page format feels very classic, and it certainly goes well with Allan’s traditional bindings.

Speaking of bindings… this Bible is absolutely gorgeous.

I debated on whether or not to get the green one, and I’m very glad that I did. Allan is known for offering a variety of unique colors, and this one is particularly great. The highland goatskin is fantastic to the touch and perfectly supple. The red-under-gold art gilding is beautiful to the point of being distracting, and everything from the pleated corners to the lined paper at the back of the Bible is a testament to its premium quality. Allan takes great pride in their craftsmanship, and rightfully so.

Finding “The One”

The goal of this little series of reviews is to help you find “the one” when it comes to large ESV premium reference Bibles, and this edition from Allan is certainly special. I love the classic look of the text paired with the traditional binding techniques that Allan uses. Simply put, it is a beautiful Bible of the utmost quality.

If what you’ve seen in this review appeals to you, then you should certainly give the New Classic Reader’s Edition some serious consideration.