Bibles

The American Antiquarian Society holds over 2,500 pre-1840 Bibles. An additional 150 linear feet of Bibles published in the United States between 1840 and 1876 are uncataloged.

Among the highlights of the collection are some of the earliest books printed in British North America. The 1640 translation of the book of Psalms, known as the Bay Psalm Book, was an early acquisition made by AAS's founder Isaiah Thomas. AAS also holds the first entire Bible printed in the North America, the Eliot Indian Bible published 1661-1663. The Society has extensive holdings of other Native American language Bibles published by mission presses through 1876.

Access

Bibles published through 1840 have records in the General Catalog that can be found using an exact title search for "Bible".

There is limited annotation of the Society's Bible holdings in Margaret T. Hills's The English Bible in America (New York, 1961).

Included in the uncataloged Bibles collection is roughly 9 linear feet of Bibles published outside the United States, with a strong emphasis on the productions of American foreign mission presses.

For access to Bibles published after 1840, please contact our Readers' Services department or the Curator of Books, Elizabeth Pope.