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Evangelisches Gesangbuch für die Provinz Sachsen
Velvet Spine • Metal Clasp • All Edges Gilt • Original Fitted Box
1904 Confirmation Presentation Copy
Evangelisches Gesangbuch für die Provinz Sachsen. Taschen-Ausgabe. Magdeburg: Königliche Hofbuchdruckerei von Karl Friese, 1896. Fifteenth edition.
A particularly attractive late nineteenth-century German Protestant hymnal in an elaborate presentation binding of black embossed boards and deep blue velvet, complete with metal clasp, all edges gilt, religious frontispiece, a dated 1904 confirmation inscription, and its original fitted protective box.
Far more decorative than the ordinary cloth issues of this hymnal, this example was clearly intended as a special devotional or confirmation gift.
The Binding
The upper cover is richly decorated in a combination of gilt and silver-colored tooling, centered on a Gothic architectural composition incorporating a cross and floral ornament.
Above is a circular gilt cartouche reading:
VERTRAU AUF GOTT
“Trust in God”
The binding features:
- deep blue velvet spine
- black embossed boards
- gilt and silver-colored cover decoration
- Gothic Revival cross and architectural ornament
- floral and foliate decoration
- small gilt metal spine plaque
- shaped metal fore-edge clasp
- all edges gilt
- decorative endpapers
The combination of velvet, metal fittings and gilt decoration gives the volume the character of a personal devotional object rather than an ordinary church hymnal.
Bibliographical Details
Evangelisches Gesangbuch für die Provinz Sachsen
Prepared by resolution of the Provincial Synod and published with the approval of the ecclesiastical authorities.
Magdeburg: Karl Friese, 1896
Taschen-Ausgabe — Pocket Edition
15th edition
IV + 562 pages
With religious frontispiece
Printed in German Fraktur type.
Bibliographical records confirm the 1896 Friese pocket edition as the fifteenth edition, with 562 pages and frontispiece.
1904 Confirmation Provenance
The volume retains its original handwritten presentation inscription associated with a confirmation dated:
28 March 1904
and naming:
Louis Kirchheim
together with the name:
Eduard Kirchheim
The precise relationship between the two is not stated in the inscription, so I would not characterize one specifically as the giver without further evidence.
The dated inscription nevertheless provides excellent context for the book: this was evidently preserved as a German Lutheran confirmation keepsake during the Imperial period.
Unlike a later ownership signature, the inscription relates directly to the type of ceremonial occasion for which such richly decorated devotional bindings were produced.
Original Fitted Box
Especially appealing is the survival of the original fitted protective box, covered in dark patterned paper and closely sized to the volume.
These utilitarian cases were easily damaged or discarded, and the presence of the box makes the ensemble considerably more complete.
The box shows substantially more wear than the book itself, but remains recognizable and functional.
Interior
The text is printed in traditional German Fraktur and contains the hymns and associated devotional material authorized for Protestant worship in the Province of Saxony.
A full-page religious frontispiece precedes the text.
The text block remains firm, and the all-gilt edges are notably bright, contrasting beautifully with the dark binding and blue velvet spine.
Condition
Very good overall for the book; original fitted box worn but substantially intact.
The decorative binding remains sound and visually impressive.
The deep blue velvet spine retains good color, with expected light rubbing, surface wear and dust from age. The embossed boards remain well defined. Gilt and silver-colored decoration shows some rubbing and fading but remains attractive and readily visible.
The metal clasp is present and appears functional.
All edges gilt, retaining strong reflectivity with normal handling wear.
Interior generally clean with normal age toning, occasional spotting and minor signs of use. The presentation inscription is clearly preserved.
The original fitted box has significantly greater wear, including rubbing, edge and corner loss, exposed board and localized splitting/separation. Its survival is nevertheless an important feature of the copy.
Please examine all photographs carefully for condition.
Collector Interest
This is considerably more appealing than an ordinary nineteenth-century hymnal because it combines German Lutheran history, an elaborate Gothic Revival presentation binding, velvet, metalwork, gilt edges, dated confirmation provenance, and the original fitted box.
The complete ensemble is especially evocative of the elaborate devotional and confirmation gifts produced in Germany around the turn of the twentieth century.
German Lutheran / Protestant hymnal
Province of Saxony
Magdeburg, 1896
15th edition
Velvet spine
Metal clasp
Gothic Revival decoration
All edges gilt
Fraktur printing
Religious frontispiece
1904 confirmation inscription
Original fitted box
Imperial Germany devotional book
