1810 HOLY BIBLE rare MASSACHUSETTS BIBLE SOCIETY greenough stebbins LEATHER old For Sale

Offered here is an exceptionally early Massachusetts Bible Society distribution Bible: an 1810 Greenough & Stebbins Holy Bible, bearing both the Society’s original cover stamp and its original presentation plate dated August 1st, 1810. Copies from the first year of MBS activity almost never survive with documented provenance, and this example preserves the complete chain — institutional stamp, ownership plate, named recipients, and precise date — making it a rare artifact of early American Bible‑society history. The Massachusetts Bible Society was founded in 1809, and Bibles distributed in 1810 represent the earliest phase of its mission. Very few such copies retain their original markings, and even fewer remain in their original bindings.

The front cover carries the Society’s early “Massachusetts Bible Society” ownership stamp, still bold and clearly readable despite a small chip affecting the “I” and “E” in “Society.” Early Bible‑society cover stamps from 1809–1812 are extraordinarily scarce; most institutional stamping practices did not become standardized until the 1820s–1840s. Inside, the verso of the title page retains the original “Property of” plate, inscribed in period brown ink: “The Property of James Adams and his wife, Presented by The Massachusetts Bible Society Aug. 1st 1810.” This inscription provides a fully documented first‑year presentation, naming the recipients and preserving the exact date of distribution — a level of provenance almost never encountered in early American Bible‑society material.

The binding is the original early 19th‑century leather, worn but completely authentic, with the top and bottom of the spine chipped and the edges softened from age and use. Both boards remain attached, and the Bible retains its honest period character. The text shows expected foxing and age toning throughout, with a few signatures slightly protruding but still secure. Overall, it is a complete, structurally sound, and attractive example of a working‑class Bible that lived in a household for generations — precisely the kind of copy that reflects the Society’s early mission.

This Bible is significant not only as an early Greenough & Stebbins imprint, but as a documented artifact of the Massachusetts Bible Society’s first year of distribution. The combination of an original institutional cover stamp, a fully preserved presentation plate, named recipients, and an 1810 date places this example among the rarest surviving MBS Bibles. A desirable piece for collectors of early American printing, Bible‑society history, or Massachusetts religious heritage, and a scarce opportunity to acquire a Bible with genuine, first‑year institutional provenance.

Measures just under 7\" x around 4.5\" and almost 2.5\" thick.

What Photos Include: The listing photos generally include the title page (if present) showing printer and year, all sides of the exterior of the book, representative page samples from beginning to end, family history pages (when present), and any major flaws I notice. limits listings to 24 photos, so I include what is reasonable within those limits. The photos are the primary description of condition and show the actual item you will receive, I do not use stock photos. It is the buyer\'s responsibility to carefully review all photos to assess condition, binding, wear, and any other details that matter to you before purchase.

Antiquarian Book Disclaimer: Because most of the books I sell are 150+ years old, signs of age, handling, and historical wear are generally expected. Antiquarian books are handmade, hand-sewn, and often contain natural irregularities, age-related toning, foxing, small tears, edge wear, and other characteristics typical of books of this period. Flaws, age-related wear, or small defects not specifically mentioned should be considered normal for books of this age. If you are looking for a flawless or modern-condition book, these historical volumes may not meet that expectation.

Understanding Description: People are interested in antiquarian Bibles for many reasons. Some are collectors interested in preserving printing history. Some are interested in finding reading copies that are hundreds of years old. Some are looking for copies in need of restoration that they can have restored. Some are interested specifically for the family history and inscriptions. Some are interested for the additional study material commonly found in antiquarian Bibles. It\'s difficult to write item descriptions tailored to all of these viewpoints at the same time, because different buyers have different condition expectations and needs. For that reason my descriptions are intended to be an overview and may not capture every detail that is important to you as a buyer. If there are any details you cannot find in the description or photos after careful review, please message before purchasing so I can attempt to provide details as best I can.Collation: Properly collating an antiquarian Bible requires much more than just checking that all pages are present. It\'s a very time consuming process that is generally not necessary unless the Bible or book is being purchased for a museum exhibit, institutional library, or high end collection. Those buyers generally have a process for collating and documenting in their preferred format for their needs. Unless specifically stated as \"collated\" with the corresponding collation info, it is assumed that the item is not collated. If I notice any missing pages, they will be listed in the description, but it is not possible to guarantee that every instance of a missing page or leaf will be detected without a full collation. If the text block is tight and first pages, subsequent title pages, and final pages are present, it\'s usually a good indication of completeness. When reasonable, and when time allows, I\'m happy to do more granular checking for details of a Bible or book if there\'s something specific a potential buyer is interested in.

Antiquarian Book Smell: All of my books are stored in a clean, smoke-free environment. Most of the time antiquarian books don\'t have any noticeable smell, but occasionally some will have their own characteristic smells from age, paper, leather, and past storage environments, etc. Everyone perceives smell differently which makes it difficult to describe the exact odor of each book. Many antiquarian book smells are not perceived as negative. Examples of a negative odor would be smoke or a musty smell. If I notice a smoke or musty smell I will clearly notate that in the description, but a buyer may receive a book and perceive a smell differently than I do. If you are highly sensitive to smells, please message me before purchasing so I can give you my best assessment for your specific needs.Readability: If you are interested in one of my Bibles for a reading copy, please carefully consider the measurements listed in the description. I always include measurements in inches to ensure that a buyer is not surprised by the size. Sometimes very large Bibles look small and very small Bibles look large when only considering photos. If you have any concerns about the readability of the text, please reach out before purchasing so I can give you a more personalized assessment.

Printing Dates: Most antiquarian Bibles have a printing date at the bottom of the title page. Sometimes it is in Roman numerals. When a date is not present, I may use a copyright date (common on late 1800s family Bibles) or use a \"circa\" date which is an estimate based on the years that specific printer or publisher was active. This is the case when I put a \"c\" before the date in the listing title and description (such as c1870).

Packaging: All books are packaged securely to protect them during transit. I have shipped a significant number of antiquarian books over the years and have never had a damage complaint.

Handling Time: I ship all packages next business day. This means that orders that come in after I go to the Post Office on Friday will be shipped out the following Monday (unless Monday is a Post Office holiday).

Local pickup is not available.

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Please check my other listings for more antiquarian books and Bibles. I often have similar items available.