Francis Douglas introduces his collection of historical Bible leaves, focusing on individual pages for display, rather than entire Bibles. He emphasizes that collecting should not overshadow faith in Jesus Christ. Douglas offers a top ten list of sought-after Bible verses and discusses the significance of specific leaves in the collecting community.

PODCAST LISTEN NOW (10 minutes):

PODCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Collecting historical bible pages is a fun and rewarding hobby that is open to everyone.

My name is Francis Douglas, and I would like to welcome you to Celebrate the Bible.

With this broadcast, I am going to give a list of the top ten collectible Bible leaves.

Before I begin, and most importantly, it is wise to understand that your heart should not be with your collection, your heart should always remain with Jesus Christ.

When I first began to collect the history of the Christian Holy Bible, I quickly realized that many Bibles were far beyond my ability to afford them. It was only when I discovered that many collectors turn to individual bible pages (known as leaves), rather than entire Bibles, that my collection was finally off and running.

At first, like most people, I was concerned about how the Bible leaves were obtained. Was someone destroying valuable, historical Bibles in order to sell individual pages? Well, the answer to that question turned out to be no. The great majority of those leaves come from Bibles that are usually far beyond repair: either from neglect, water damage or, some other reason.

Since the goal of my collecting was to exhibit these pages, single leaves made more sense — to me — than entire Bibles. My reasoning was that someone who sees a Bible — say in a museum exhibit — usually only sees the page that the Bible is open to. In other words, even though an entire Bible is right there in front of someone, they’re still only seeing one page of that Bible.

I thought to myself, “why don’t you just get individual pages, frame them, and display them, for others to see?”.

So that’s what I did … and its what so many other people do today too.

I have had this list for many years. And, to give credit where credit is due, I wish that I could remember where I obtained the list. The paper is old, and it is in my handwriting. I have kept it for many years with the hope of one day doing a special web page, or podcast for it.

Well, that day has now come.

Technology is a big part of the Celebrate the Bible collection, and many people are curious as to what technology has to do with old, historic Bibles. Well, Bibles are a part of technology history, too: with the printing press. In fact, a pencil was technology at one time — and it was even high technology at that.

Remember, that in order to have a Bible page collection, one does not have to concentrate on famous or the more popular verses.

The pages in this list are usually more expensive to obtain than other pages, due to the fact that each Bible contains only one page of the selection. For instance, a Bible contains only one John 3:16, or Genesis 1:1.

Of course, a Bible contains only one page of EVERY page if you want to look at it that way … but, still, in the world of collectors, some pages are more sought after than others.

Keep in mind that this top ten list is not about entire bibles. This is about specific Bible scripture chapter and verses that are most requested by collectors.

Without a doubt, however, when two of the same scripture verses are taken into consideration, the Bible date and version will most assuredly have an effect on price.

Lets move on to the Top Ten List:

10: Philippians Chapter 4

I will read a few selections from Philippians chapter 4:

Verses 6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Verse 13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

And one of my favorites, as well in addition to the others, verse 11: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

9. 1 Corinthians Chapter 13

This is also known as the “Love Chapter”

Verses 11-13: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

8. Romans 8:28

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

7. John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

6. The Lord’s Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13
Luke 11:2-4

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

There are many other popular collectibles, including micro and nano technologies. The Lord’s Prayer was the reference standard for exhibiting examples of miniaturization. In the 1800’s, right after the invention of micro photography, people would stand in long lines to look through microscopes at the Lord’s Prayer.

5. The Ten Commandments

The text of the Ten Commandments appears twice in the Hebrew testament: at Exodus 20:2–17, and Deuteronomy 5:6–17

As you may have guessed, the Ten Commandments are a very popular collectible. They can be found in all forms of representation: from clay tablets, to Torah scrolls, all the way up to micro and nano technologies.

4. Isaiah 53

Once again, we find ourselves back to a chapter, rather than a single verse.

Christians of all denominations hold that Isaiah 53 is a messianic prophecy of Jesus. It is traditionally held within Jewish commentaries to be representative of the nation of Israel. It has been recorded as having been debated back and forth about that issue, going back to 248 AD.

3. Proverbs 31

This is also a longer entry, so I will just give the title.

2. Psalm 23

Many years ago I purchased a tattered and torn Bible that was the first Bible printed by a woman. It is known as the Thomson Bible. Charles Thomson was the former secretary of Congress during the founding of America. After he retired from Congress, he spent twenty years translating the Greek Septuigent into English — and his Bible was the first as such. It was printed by Miss Jane Aitken of Philadelphia. It was published in four volumes, and the volume that I was able to obtain contained the 23rd Psalm. Of which I matted and framed. Out of all of the 23rd Psalm collectibles out there: from Bible pages to teacups, it has to be one of the rarest collectibles to have this 23rd Psalm by the first woman in America to print a Holy Bible.

And now its time for the #1 slot:

1. Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth”.

Notice that, except for Genesis 1:1, none of the pages listed are title pages. With that being said, ANY title page is considered more in demand than any other page.

In our collection, we have the title pages to Genesis (first book of the bible) and Revelation (last book of the bible), from the first edition, first printing of the King James Bible by Robert Barker in 1611.

So there you have it folks. The top ten list, as far as I know, of the most sought-after and requested Bible leaves for collectors.

I hope you enjoyed the list, and if you happen to be a collector, let me know what you think of the list. Is is accurate? Would you remove any entry? Would you add a leaf that is not on the list?

This is Francis Douglas for Celebrate the Bible.

Contact Francis Douglas at: fd316@celebratethebible250.com