The Oxford Lectern Bible

The Holy Bible.
Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1935.
(BRA2090 Oversize)

Type and book design by Bruce Rogers – Printed under the direction of John Johnson, Printer to the University

The Oxford Lectern Bible of 1935 looked for its inspiration not to Cobden-Sanderson’s turn-of-the-century masterpiece, but rather to the 1763 edition of John Baskerville. Yet, similar to the Doves Bible, this lectern edition relied upon type and page design to achieve a balance of legibility and beauty, assured by the aesthetic sensibilities of the American typographer and type designer Bruce Rogers (1870–1957). The designers sought to appeal to collectors of fine printing while also producing a work suitable for practical use.

Two editions were produced from the same setting of a modified Centaur type designed by Rogers. One edition of one thousand was printed on paper from the Wolvercote Mill and designed with narrow margins in order to accommodate typical church lecterns. Another edition, limited to two hundred copies, was printed on linen rag handmade paper in a larger size suitable for larger cathedral lecterns but also intended as presentation copies or for collectors.

This Oxford Lectern Bible was included in a 1976 gift to Bridwell Library of his Bruce Rogers Collection by Stanley Marcus, president of Neiman Marcus and Dallas civic leader.

Reproduced with permission of the Licensor through PLSclear.