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An Interesting Bible

Dear Jim – guess that it is due to some flaw in the paper-making process. Likely,
Attached are photos from our Thomas Scott 5-volume “Holy Bible the pulp was contaminated with minute iron filings which rusted in the
containing the Old and New Testaments, with Original Notes, Practical paper over the many years causing the spots. The bad news is that they
Observations, and Copious Marginal References, by Thomas Scott, Rector are very unsightly. The good news is that they don’t affect the longevity
of Aston Sandford, Bucks, and Chaplain to the Lock Hospital, In Five of the paper, which is naturally acid-free. Like all paper made then, this
Volumes,” the “Fourth American, from the Second London Edition, will probably last indefinitely especially if kept away from heat, cold,
Improved and Enlarged,” published in “New York: Published by Dodge & humidity, bugs and fire. Books stored in damp conditions can also
Sayre, No. 86 Broadway, J. Seymour, Printer, No. 49 John-Street, 1814.” develop fungus and mold which can also cause brown spots. Moldy
This Bible set was kept in a family home that has seen much better days books are also stinky books.
and is currently being restructured, and we would hate to see these either Pre-Civil War paper was made from old rags, etc. which were
thrown out or put back in the attic for another length of time. mashed into a pulp then rolled out into shreds, then dried and cut to
Seth Goodwin appears to be the original owner and my husband’s size. We didn’t learn how to make bad paper until around the Civil
Grandma Susie put a sticker with her name in a volume. Seth Godwin’s War period. This so-called new and improved paper made from wood
name is written in pencil. In volume 5 I found an old matchstick! All pulp was cheaper than the almost hand-made older rag paper, but to
volumes have humidity marks throughout. Volume 5 binding has a weak varying degrees is acidic from the sulphuric acid used to break down the
area but is still together. wood fibers. This paper was mostly used in newspapers and inexpensive
We would like to know its value and how to care for this Bible going books. It is mainly used in the 20th century for newspapers and
forward. Any and all help is appreciated! comic books.
– Melissa As for caring for the books, the leather bindings would benefit from
a leather treatment such as the British Museum Formula which is sold
Dear Melissa, online which is a mixture of lanolin and neatsfoot oil. Don’t use either
I find several sets online from $250, $675, $700, and $1,000, but lanolin or neatsfoot oil singly. Store in a ventilated room, on shelves is
that’s the internet for you. These are the same edition as your Dodge fine, but not in direct sunlight or too close to heat or ac vents. If you
and Sayer edition from 1814. Those prices are typical of the internet. I are comfortable the books will be too. Damp basements and freezing or
would think your set might be in the $250-$350 range possibly. scorching hot attics are bad places for old books and will greatly hasten
The brown spots on the pages are called foxing and yours are heavily their disintegration. Or you can store the volumes in individual
foxed, but this is typical of books printed in the U.S. in the early 1800s acid-free boxes which would give more protection.
when we stopped importing paper from England and made our own. Exposure to direct sunlight will kill the mold on books and when it
At that time, the paper we made wasn’t as good as the paper from draws out, the mold can often be brushed off or removed using a soft
England. There are some theories as to what caused this excessive eraser hopefully not leaving any stains. However, the foxing in the
spotting, but I would Bible volumes cannot be dried
or brushed off as
the discoloration
goes through the
paper. It can possi-
bly be removed by
bleaching done by
an expert which
might be practical
for use on a print,
but definitely not
practical for the thou-
sands of pages in a
five-volume Bible as
the books would have
to be disassembled so
the pages could be
individually beached,
then dried and
rebound, which would
cost a fortune.
As I said, the foxing
in your Bible set would
be more or less typical

42 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles