Allan 62 Longprimer Sovereign

Jul 15

An expanded version of the classic Oxford Longprimer from R.L. Allan in Meriva Calfskin.

I’ve mentioned before that I am on a mission to review everything in the Longprimer family from R.L. Allan, and I’ve decided to dedicate Thursdays for the next several weeks to this task. You can look for new videos – reviews, unboxings, comparisons, and more – as well as some written reviews each week until the series is complete.

I’m kicking things off with the 62 Longprimer Sovereign, because Allan has just released a new batch of these Bibles, including the first 62 ever in Petrol Blue Calfskin.

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KJV 62 Longprimer Sovereign – Overview

Oxford University Press first developed the King James Version Longprimer in 1952, and it is now printed exclusively by R.L. 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. In recent years, Allan has expanded the Longprimer line to include a thinner edition called the 43 as well as a thicker and wider edition called the 63.

They also have two editions that come in Meriva Calfskin, the 52 (which I reviewed recently) and the 62 that we’re looking at today.

The 62 Longprimer was first introduced back in 2017, and it is very similar to the 63. Both feature a 6.5” x 9.25” trim size, which is about a half inch larger all the way around than the 52 or 53, and they are 1.75” thick. One thing to note is that the larger trim size of the 62 and 63 does not equate to a larger type size. In fact, all of the Longprimers currently made by Allan feature a 10pt type size. Instead, the 62 and 63 offer wider margins all the way around the text, the largest being 1” on the outer edges of the page. They also feature a slightly thicker 38 GSM “writable” paper. When I compare this paper to that of my 52 and 53, which is called “semi-writable,” it has a slightly different texture that seems to be more conducive for writing.

I particularly love the way the 62 and 63 create more space around the text of the Longprimer. In fact, now that I’ve used these wide margin Longprimers a little bit, the smaller editions are starting to feel a bit cramped. Even if you don’t plan on writing in your Longprimer, the extra margin space gives the text room to breathe in a great way.

FEATURES
• 10pt typeface
• 6.5” x 9.25” trim size
• 1.75” thick
• 38 GSM writable India paper
• Edge-lined Meriva calfskin cover with semi yapp
• Calfskin liner
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Art gilded page edges 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

62 vs 62

Despite the many similarities, the 62 does differ from the 63 in a handful of important ways:

a) it has a soft and smooth Meriva Calfskin cover instead of Highland Goatskin
b) it has a semi yapp instead of a full yapp
c) the ribbons are not as long
d) there is a single gold gilt line inside as opposed to the double gilt line in the 63
e) the 62 is bound by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands whereas 63s are currently bound by Charfleet in England

As I noted with the 52, the softness of the calfskin on this 62 makes me want to be a bit more careful with it. It’s absolutely lovely, but I think it will show wear more quickly and easily than one of Allan’s highland goatskin Bibles.

Right For You?

The 62 Longprimer offers readers a wide margin version of the classic Longprimer typesetting in a soft and supple Calfksin cover. If you like the look and feel that these unique features bring, then this will be a fantastic addition for your Bible library.