Statenbijbel - 1702

Keur brothers’ Statenbijbel from 1702 is a monumental folio edition consisting of:

Old Testament 450 leaves 900 pages Genesis to Esther
The Prophets 169 leaves 338 pages Job to Malachi
New Testament 144 leaves 288 pages Gospel of Matthew to Revelation
Apocrypha Books 179 leaves 358 pages Added historical books

The Bible is richly illustrated with a large number of engravings (about 300) and six double-page, partly fold-out maps that prove to be relatively accurate for the time. Historian Kees Klok notes, however, that Paradise has still not been found.

Bound in leather between two heavy oak boards with copper fittings, dimensions 43.3 x 26.5 x 10 cm, weight 7.82 kg. The Dordrecht Keur editions were renowned for their high quality and were praised as the most reliable and prestigious Bibles of the Dutch Republic.

The history of the “Keur Bible” begins decades before 1702. The brothers Hendrick and Jacob Keur learned the printing craft in Dordrecht from their stepfather, Jacob Corneliszoon Braat, in his printery “in de Werckende Hoop” on Lange Breestraat. After his death in 1665, the brothers took over the print shop and released their very first Statenbijbel in 1666. Later, their younger brother Pieter Keur joined the family business.

In the 17th century, the market was flooded with illegal pirate editions and Bibles full of sloppy typesetting errors. The Keur brothers tackled this differently: they obtained from the city authorities of Dordrecht and the States of Holland the exclusive right to print the Statenbijbel.

The 1702 edition became a monumental ‘statiebijbel’ (sermonal or marriage Bible). Families of status bought these precious Bibles, bound them in heavy deer- or calf-leather with oak planks, and provided them with copper or silver book locks. They served as a status symbol and as a family register in which births and deaths were recorded for generations.

What makes the 1702 edition historically extra special is the addition of 6 retractable Bible maps drawn by the famous engraver and cartographer Daniel Stoopendaal. These maps—including a spectacular world map with allegorical figures, the Garden of Eden, and the journeys of the Apostle Paul—reflect the absolute flourishing of Dutch cartography during the Golden Age.

The Dordrecht Public Library, AanZet, purchased a copy of this Bible on Marktplaats in 2024 for about €1100.

AanZet Library paid about €1,100 in January 2024 for the rare Keur Bible from 1702 on Marktplaats.

"Collection manager Lonneke van Ark happened to see the historic masterpiece online by chance. The seller did not fully appreciate the immense historical value of the book for the city. The purchase is a special bargain for the library, since complete copies of this caliber are often much more expensive at antique bookstores." (source: RTV Dordrecht)

Condition: The two boards with copper fittings are detached and partly damaged, a small number of pages are missing at the beginning and end. Otherwise the Bible appears complete with all folios and illustrations present. Moisture spots, here and there a tear, folded corners. See photos for a better impression.

Carefully packed and sent by registered mail and insured.