KJV Longprimer 52 from R.L. Allan

May 21

The classic Oxford Longprimer in a Meriva Calfskin binding.

Over the last year I have read several books about the history of the Bible, including three or four that were focused on the King James Bible.* During this time, I have also become quite the fan of a premium Bible publisher form the U.K. called R.L. Allan. Their flagship Bible is a KJV edition called the Longprimer, which they make in several variations (see my review last year of the Longprimer 53C).

I’m now embarking on another project where I am going to be reviewing several different editions of the Longprimer, followed by a special written piece about this history of this Bible, as well as a final video round up where you’ll be able to see all of them next to one another.

So this review of the Longprimer 52 is the first of several new Longprimer reviews to come in the following weeks. Each will include a full video walkthrough of the Bible, a written review here on the website, and an unboxing video where you’ll get to see my first impressions.

*I’ve teased a couple of times that I am working on a special project about Bible history and translations. I am still working on it, but the scope has gotten a bit larger, so it’s taking more time than I originally expected.

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KJV 52 Longprimer – Overview

The King James Version Longprimer is a typesetting that was developed by Oxford University Press in the 1950s, and is now printed exclusively by Allan. The standard Longprimer edition is known as the 53, and it features a 6” x 8.75” trim size on 36 GSM paper, bound in highland goatskin. They make a thinner edition called the 43, as well as a thicker, wider edition called the 63.

“But wait,” you may be thinking. “Isn’t this a review of a 52 Longprimer?”

Yes it is.

The 52 has the same text block as the 53, but instead of being bound in highland goatskin, it is bound in Meriva calfskin. That’s the primary difference between the 52 and the 53. The calfskin Allan uses is very soft to the touch, and much more smooth than goatskin. The purple edition you see in my review is a new one for Allan, because it’s their first time using silver embossing and blue-under-silver art gilding on a 52.

FEATURES
• 10pt typeface
• 6” x 8.75” trim size
• 1.675” thick
• 36 GSM India paper
• Edge-lined Meriva calfskin cover with semi yapp
• Split calfskin liner
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Art gilding and interior gilt line
• Three ribbon markers
• Large, crisp black letter type
• 100,000 centre column chain references with dates above
• 16 pages of full-colour Oxford Bible maps
• Concordance, subject index and dictionary of proper names
• 32 pages of lined writing paper
• Presentation Page & Family Records

From the Inside Out In

As much as I love the look and feel of this Bible from the outside, where it really shines is when you open it up, so let’s start there. The word Longprimer is a nod to the Bible’s beautiful typeface that is both bold and elegant, and extremely pleasant to read. The scriptural text is a 10pt font in verse-by-verse format, and the 36 GSM India paper is quite opaque.

Here’s a note from Allan about the interior of the Longprimer:

“Our latest Longprimer printings hark back to a vintage copy of the classic Longprimer, printed in the period 1952-1958 under Charles Batey, then Printer to the University of Oxford, returning to a page image that is much closer to the original intentions of the typesetters. This new-old page image retains the large, clear type of the Longprimer we all know and love, but has a crisper letter form and less of the broken type and 'spread' that mark out much-used letterpress typesettings subsequently transferred to film and, only more recently, to digital scans.”

In addition to being great to read, the 52 comes loaded with extras: 100,000 center-column chain references, Oxford Bible maps, lined writing paper, as well as a three-piece concordance, subject index, and dictionary of proper names.

Sometimes the layout and features of a Bible are so fantastic that the aesthetic touches on the outside don’t live up to how great it is on the inside. That’s not the case with the 52 Longprimer. Printed and bound by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands with the best materials and craftsmanship, the 52 is a soft and supple Bible that looks great and feels incredible.

I will note that the softness of the calfskin makes me want to be careful with this Bible. My go-to Bible these days is an Allan NRSV1 in highland goatskin, and I never thing twice about throwing it in my backpack or tossing it on the sofa. But I would never do those things with this 52, because the calfskin feels quite susceptible to scars and wrinkles.

Right For You?

The 52 Longprimer is a unique spin on the classic 53. If you’re a fan of the smooth look and feel of calfskin, then this is definitely a worthy choice for your Bible library.