R.L. Allan 63 Longprimer Sovereign

Aug 5

A larger and more regal version of the Oxford Longprimer from R.L. Allan in Highland Goatskin.

In 2015, R.L. Allan announced the debut of the 63 Longprimer Sovereign, a “new printing of the existing Longprimer text, with the text image retained exactly as is but the added luxury of a wider margin all round, and particularly along the bottom and on the outer edge of the page… and printed on a writable 38gsm paper for maximum opacity and thus minimum show-through.”

The 63 was the first step in what proved to be many new iterations of the classic Oxford Longprimer typesetting offered by Allan, and it’s easily one of my favorites. Check out the video below to see this 63 up close, and keep reading for more details.

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KJV 63 Longprimer Sovereign – Overview

Oxford University Press first developed the KJV 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. Since Ian and Dominique Metcalfe took over R.L. Allan several years ago, they have expanded the Longprimer line to include several new editions, and the first one they came up with was the 63 Longprimer Sovereign.

The 63 features a 6.5” x 9.25” trim size (about a half inch larger all the way around than the 53), and it is 1.75” thick. One thing to note is that the larger trim size of the 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 63 offers wider margins all the way around the text, the largest being 1” on the outer edges of the page. It also features a slightly thicker 38 GSM “writable” paper. When I compare this paper to that of my 53, which is called “semi-writable,” it has a slightly different texture that seems to be more conducive for writing.

I appreciate the way the 63 creates more space around the text of the Longprimer. Even if you don’t plan on writing in your Bible, 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 cover with full yapp
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Art gilded page edges and double interior gilt lines
• 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

63 vs 53

There are two main differences between the 63 and the 53:

a) the text block is slightly larger, allowing for larger margin space*
b) the paper is slightly thicker (38gsm vs. 36gsm), which makes it better for writing

*Note that the typesetting is the same in both (10pt type size).

If you are deciding between the 63 and the 53, the main factor to consider is whether or not you plan to write in this Bible. If so, the 63 is definitely the way to go. That said, I mentioned above that I think the extra space in the 63 allows the text to breathe in nice way, so even if you’re not going to write in your Longprimer, you may like the visual look and feel of the 63 more than the 53.

Here’s the honest truth: you can’t go wrong with either one of them.

Right For You?

The 63 Longprimer offers readers a wide margin version of the classic Longprimer typesetting with all of the beautiful aesthetic features that the standard Longprimer is known for. If you like the look and feel that these unique features bring, then this will be a fantastic addition for your Bible library.