Schuyler RSV Quentel

Sep 25

The Revised Standard Version gets the Schuyler treatment.

The latest edition of the flagship Quentel series from Schuyler Bibles is here, but this time, the best premium Bible publisher in the United States has done a few things differently. From the translation to the binding options and even the typesetting itself, the all-new RSV Quentel is quite a unique Bible for Schuyler.

I’ve spent a ton of time with the RSV Quentel since I recorded my unboxing video, and one of the things that strikes me is that this Bible was actually quite a risk for Schuyler. Think about it… the Revised Standard Version has not been a bestseller in decades, and the decision to offer editions of this Bible with the Apocrypha could potentially alienate some of the more narrow-minded members of Schuyler’s evangelical fan base. And in a Bible ecosystem where it feels like the majority of the comments online are about type size, they decreased the standard 11pt Milo typeface (which appears in all of the other editions of the Quentel) to a 10pt size in this Bible to keep it from being too bulky with the Apocrypha.

But you know what?
It worked.

The RSV is not just good… it’s great. Or as one of my viewers said: “This Bible is exquisite.”

In fact, it might just be the best Bible we’ve ever seen from Schuyler.

You can watch my video review below to see a full walkthrough of the RSV Quentel, and keep scrolling to read my full review with high-resolution photos.

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Schuyler RSV Quentel – Overview

Schuyler’s Quentel series (named after William Tyndale’s first printer) comes in six translations: ESV, NASB, NKJV, NIV, CSB, and now RSV. Designed by typesetter 2K/Denmark, the Quentel format features a two-column layout with cross-references that span the entire bottom of the page and red accents, all on 28 GSM Indopaque Paper from France that feels fantastic to the touch and is quite opaque.

On the outside, the RSV Quentel has all of the premium features that Schuyler fans have come to expect. It was printed and bound by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands with edge-lined goatskin or calfskin covers and Smyth-sewn text blocks. My copy of the RSV Quentel has a Firebrick Red goatskin cover with the optional full yapp (available in red or black). I love the aesthetic look of Schuyler’s full yapp Bibles, in part because of the added touch of having a both a tooled line and a perimeter stitch. The RSV Quentel has the same 6.125” x 9.125” trim size as the other Quentels, and it’s just a hair under 1.5” thick when you include the cover.

Inside, the RSV Quentel features two significant changes from its predecessors. First is its 10pt Milo typeface, which is slightly smaller than the 11pt typeface of previous Quentels, yet still quiet comfortable to read (the folks at Schuyler confirmed my hunch that this decision was made in order to keep the editions of the RSV Quentel that include the Apocrypha from becoming too bulky). Second is the addition of drop caps, which are a new design for Schuyler that are different from the drop caps found in their Canterbury and Treveris Bibles. I’m someone who’s not crazy about drop caps, but I think it works really well in the RSV Quentel.

As far as additional features go, the RSV Quentel comes with three ribbons, cross-references, a glossary/concordance, and a set of Schuyler’s beautiful Bible maps. It’s also their first Bible to offer editions that include the Apocrypha, which is found after the New Testament and contains the expanded 1977 Apocrypha (see photo below for a Table of Contents), making it useful in Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic settings.

Details aside, this Bible makes a fantastic first impression. I’ve held at least 20-30 Schuyler Bibles in my hands at this point, and I can’t think of one that has felt this good. It’s absolutely stunning.

FEATURES
• 10pt Milo typeface
• 6.125” x 9.125” trim size
• 1.4” thick
• 28 GSM paper
• Edge-lined goatskin cover with full yapp*
• Leather liner
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Art gilding
• Three ribbon markers
• Ornamental Drop Caps
• Cross-References
• Glossary Concordance
• Line matching
• Schuyler Bible Maps

*In addition to goatskin covers, Schuyler also offers this Bible in their Marbled Mahogany Calfskin. And they have several editions with a standard yapp length as well.

RSV… really?

In just the first few days of the RSV Quentel’s releases, I have already seen several comments from people online who are wondering why a publisher would be making new editions of a translation that debuted 70 years ago and is no longer one of the world’s top English translations. That’s a fair question, and Schuyler offered the following insights about this decision on their website:

The RSV is an exceedingly accurate and elegant translation. It had long been considered among the most accurate and scholarly translations.
The RSV is the “father” of both the NRSV and ESV. Many people used this translation for ~ 40-50 years before arrival of the NRSV or ESV.
There are very few current publications of the RSV.
There are no RSV Bibles in print with a reference system or concordance/glossary.
The RSV uses thee, thou, lest, art, thy and other classical English expressions no longer found in modern translations. It provides a unique “bridge” between the KJV and modern English translations.
The RSV predates gender modification of nouns/pronouns which are found in most modern translations.
This RSV will be available with the expanded 1977 Apocrypha.

As a lover of Bible history, I think of the Revised Standard Version as an extremely important translation that had a big part in shaping the current landscape of Bible publication, and for that reason alone, I love that Schuyler has created a gorgeous edition of the RSV that honors its legacy. I own an original 1952 hardcover edition of the RSV from Thomas Nelson (which I found on eBay for $15), and I plan to keep my new RSV Quentel right beside that one on my bookshelf.

Right For You?

The RSV Quentel is a gorgeous Bible that offers readers a fully-loaded edition of the Revised Standard Version with premium design, materials, and construction. It represents the best of what Schuyler can do with a Bible, and it will be an heirloom addition to any Bible library.