Question on Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (Large Print Edition)

[B.L.]

Morning Friends,

I was thinking about purchasing a couple copies of the large print hardcover edition of the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible and was curious whether anyone here can comment on the paper quality. I own the goatskin version and the paper in it is great without a lot of bleed through, etc. How about this large print hardcover edition? The footprint is obviously quite large and I'm concerned the ghosting might be an issue for my wife's eyes and that my clumsy fingers might rip the paper if it's super thin.

Anyone have any experience with the large print edition?

Thanks!

 

[JM]

Looks like they are all printed by Jongbloed so I'm guessing they are all the same. I own the deluxe hardcover and enjoy reading from it.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[Pilgrim]

I can tell you that the paper in my Dollaro leather is MUCH better than in the first printing I used to have. The former was printed in the Netherlands although the copyright page, apparently unchanged from the original for whatever reason, still says it was printed in the USA.

I'd call or write RHB and ask if the same paper is being used in the Large Print as in the regular size Bibles. I'd also try to get their help to make sure they confirm that whatever one you order was in fact printed in the Netherlands. I know that they were continuing to sell remaining stock of their US printed Bibles with inferior paper alongside the Netherlands ones, but I don't know if that is still the case. At least they have different ISBNs so that they can be identified.

 

[Regi Addictissimus]

Morning Friends,

I was thinking about purchasing a couple copies of the large print hardcover edition of the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible and was curious whether anyone here can comment on the paper quality. I own the goatskin version and the paper in it is great without a lot of bleed through, etc. How about this large print hardcover edition? The footprint is obviously quite large and I'm concerned the ghosting might be an issue for my wife's eyes and that my clumsy fingers might rip the paper if it's super thin.

Anyone have any experience with the large print edition?

Thanks!

I can run over to the bookstore to take a few photos when I get into the office.

The quality should be comparable to your goatskin edition.

 

[B.L.]

I can run over to the bookstore to take a few photos when I get into the office.

The quality should be comparable to your goatskin edition.

Brother, thank you a dozen times!

Pictures aren't necessary, but I'd appreciate your impression.

 

[Regi Addictissimus]

The Large print on Psalm 37:



The Goatskin on the same Psalm:



The bleed-through/ghosting is some of the best that I have seen on a large print, although I must admit I do not have much experience with large print. The paper quality is excellent. The font is nice and crisp. I flipped through a few pages and never thought I was going to rip them.

 

[B.L.]

The bleed-through/ghosting is some of the best that I have seen on a large print, although I must admit I do not have much experience with large print. The paper quality is excellent. The font is nice and crisp. I flipped through a few pages and never thought I was going to rip them.

Very reassuring. I greatly appreciate you taking time out of your morning to post this.

I'll be purchasing two by day's end.

Thanks and have a joyful day today!

 

[Regi Addictissimus]

Very reassuring. I greatly appreciate you taking time out of your morning to post this.

I'll be purchasing two by day's end.

Thanks and have a joyful day today!

My pleasure, brother. Have a blessed day.

 

[JimmyH]

For what it's worth, I have the first printing, 2014, ISBN 9781601783271, in the 'Luxury/Montana/Cowhide.' If I remember correctly mine was a pre-order (before publication). The reverse of title page says printed in the USA. Whether that is correct, or whether it was printed in the Netherlands, the paper is very nice, thin yet opaque, and sturdy.

@ $60.00 for the hardback large print (half price) I'm sorely tempted to get it as well.

 

[Pilgrim]

For what it's worth, I have the first printing, 2014, ISBN 9781601783271, in the 'Luxury/Montana/Cowhide.' If I remember correctly mine was a pre-order (before publication). The reverse of title page says printed in the USA. Whether that is correct, or whether it was printed in the Netherlands, the paper is very nice, thin yet opaque, and sturdy.

@ $60.00 for the hardback large print (half price) I'm sorely tempted to get it as well.

I think that might have been the first printing that was indeed made in the USA. I want to say that the Vachetta replaced the Montana when the second print run was done, which corrected a handful of errors and used better paper. But I'm not totally sure. Part of the problem is that the copyright page for all of them says "Made in the USA" even though the later ones were not. My Dollaro has the "Jongbloed hinge" if you're familiar with that.

The paper in the first print one isn't horrible by any means. But the Jongbloed is better. The Jongbloed paper has more of a yellowish color, like the paper in the TBS Westminster Reference. If it is sort of "plain white" paper it is the first one.

If you bought it right when they were released, or maybe within a year of that, it is the first printing. I think the Netherlands printings were first produced in 2016.

UPDATE: According to Amazon, the Montana Cowhide was published in 2014 whereas the Vachetta was published in 2016. The Large Print HC is 2016 also. (Come to think of it, I don't think there was a Large Print option originally.) I also just noticed that the Netherlands printed ones include the statement " These editions of The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible are being printed by Jongbloed, a Dutch printer reputed as the world’s finest publisher of Bibles." The others have no statement that I can find that notes where they were printed.

Also, you should be able to plug in the ISBN on Amazon (or Bookfinder.com) to see when an edition of the RHB KJV Study Bible was printed. The 2016 ones are from the Netherlands. (The prices are generally MUCH cheaper at RHB. Regardless, someone who buys one of these from Amazon instead of RHB should be excommunicated and maybe beaten with many blows on top of that. )

 

[Pilgrim]

One thing that I wish is that the print was a little darker, especially in the Bible text. Because they are darker, I find the study notes to be at least as easy to read, if not easier, than the KJV text. That was more of a problem with the US printing, but I think it is still somewhat of a problem with the Jongbloed printings too. I've recently gotten multifocal lenses, but I'm still having problems with the prescription (at least I hope that's all it is) and I generally need at least 11-12 pt to read at length comfortably. One reason why some of us prefer the old "hot press" text blocks by the likes of Cambridge and Oxford is that the print tends to be quite a bit bolder compared to modern printing.

Despite my anti-Amazon rant above, the Kindle edition of this is well done and quite affordable. To me it is easier to use than the website that RHB set up that you get free access to with a Bible purchase. But that isn't bad either. The Kindle edition is what I tend to end up using. So maybe I should get the large print too, although I don't really like really big Bibles.

 

[B.L.]

I think that might have been the first printing that was indeed made in the USA. I want to say that the Vachetta replaced the Montana when the second print run was done, which corrected a handful of errors and used better paper. But I'm not totally sure. Part of the problem is that the copyright page for all of them says "Made in the USA" even though the later ones were not. My Dollaro has the "Jongbloed hinge" if you're familiar with that.

The paper in the first print one isn't horrible by any means. But the Jongbloed is better. The Jongbloed paper has more of a yellowish color, like the paper in the TBS Westminster Reference. If it is sort of "plain white" paper it is the first one.

If you bought it right when they were released, or maybe within a year of that, it is the first printing. I think the Netherlands printings were first produced in 2016.

UPDATE: According to Amazon, the Montana Cowhide was published in 2014 whereas the Vachetta was published in 2016. The Large Print HC is 2016 also. (Come to think of it, I don't think there was a Large Print option originally.) I also just noticed that the Netherlands printed ones include the statement " These editions of The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible are being printed by Jongbloed, a Dutch printer reputed as the world’s finest publisher of Bibles." The others have no statement that I can find that notes where they were printed.

Also, you should be able to plug in the ISBN on Amazon (or Bookfinder.com) to see when an edition of the RHB KJV Study Bible was printed. The 2016 ones are from the Netherlands. (The prices are generally MUCH cheaper at RHB. Regardless, someone who buys one of these from Amazon instead of RHB should be excommunicated and maybe beaten with many blows on top of that. )

I pre-ordered a regular hardcover edition when they came out in 2014 and was a bit disappointed in the paper quality ("plain white", thin w/ ghosting); however, in 2016 I made the upgrade to the edge-lined goatskin edition and was quite impressed with the paper they used. I was on the fence on whether or not to purchase it and exchanged a series of emails with the RHB bookstore at the time to inquire about it and they mentioned needing to reach out to Jongbloed for answers, which was all I needed to know. The copyright page in mine doesn't have the Jongbloed statement only the "Printed in the United States" blurb. If I had to guess I'd say the paper is the exact same type used in the TBS Westminster Reference Bible. My only knock on the goatskin edition is the ribbons aren't premium they are the somewhat stringy-thin ones.

My initial fear with the Large Print HC was that the paper would be similar to the earlier HC edition I pre-ordered, but it definitely seems like that is not going to be the case. I didn't get around to purchasing a pair yesterday, but will this week.

I think the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible is by far the best study Bible available right now. I really hope RHB continues to partner with Jongbloed on future print runs. It would be fantastic if they expanded the goatskin lineup and introduced nicer ribbons and added some color options....one can always dream.

(P.S. I also wish the print of the Bible text was darker.)