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I wanted to make rare, historic Bible leaves not only "user-friendly" but to preserve them without resorting to expensive framing. Bibles produced prior to the mid-1500's were almost always in Latin; yet these are among the finest available. I therefore added partial English translations onto the COA's wherever possible. My portfolios are "first-class" all the way!
In order to display historic Bible leaves in 100% archival formats,
I created museum quality Bi-fold and Tri-fold portfolios, so that the leaves are easily reversible. My Super-portfolios, however, open like a book, the leaves viewable on both sides, with important verses of the Latin text in translation, a short commentary, COA and related documents. These are innovations not available in any other format (except for double sided frames). My portfolios can stand open on a desk or table (by itself or on a metal display easel; wooden easels are too flimsey), or folded like a book, or even secured to a wall with special easels. Ask us for the ones we recommend!
Nearly 4,000 years ago, the Creator of the universe spoke to us through words written "by the finger of God" (Deut. 9:10). Prior to printing, the Bible was written by hand, on papyrus or parchment, often taking years to produce a single copy. Despite the cost, Bibles were as artistic as they were exacting, and many stunning illuminated texts survive. With the advent of printing in 1454, the Bible became available to the laity and hastened the Reformation and the Renaissance. To preserve for posterity a leaf from an historic Bible is thus to be connected to the ongoing creativity of God's word.
From early on, Christians held on to fragments of old copies or old versions of the Bible. Jews, on the other hand, meticulously copied from worn-out copies and then respectfully disposed of the older copies. Either way, the "preservation and presentation of historic Bible leaves" is one link in that great chain of witnesses to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Our motto on each portfolio reads: Verbum Dei Manet Aeternum ("The Word of God Remains Forever"), from Isaiah
40:8 and 1 Peter 1:25. I started Historic Bibles, inc. on this solid foundation, as a way of bringing the historically bound written Word into homes and offices. God uses created things, such as the spoken word and Bible fragments, in order to be heard: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
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