1725 Oxford King James Bible – Printed by John Baskett, in Contemporary Binding – With Early Bookseller’s Stamp and Macduff Family Inscriptions
A remarkable early 18th-century King James Bible, printed in 1725 by John Baskett, the King’s Printer at Oxford. This small duodecimo (approx. 16 × 8.5 cm) was designed as a true “pocket Bible,” intended for personal use, daily devotion, and travel. Surviving examples in original leather bindings are rare, and this copy stands out with a contemporary bookseller’s stamp, “Sold by John Gunn at the Prince’s-Gate in Leicester-Fields,” connecting it to the London book trade of the 1720s.
What truly sets this Bible apart is the handwritten Macduff family record preserved on two front pages. The inscriptions trace multiple generations of the Macduffs of Bonhard, Perthshire, Scotland, including Alexander Macduff (1698–1765) and his descendants, offering a tangible genealogical link to a Scottish landed family. For collectors, historians, or genealogists, these personal entries transform this Bible from a printed work into a living family heirloom, rich with historical resonance.
Historical Context
John Baskett (1664–1742) served as the King’s Printer and produced both monumental folios, like the famous 1717 “Vinegar Bible,” and smaller practical editions like this duodecimo. These pocket Bibles were widely used and often show signs of daily handling; surviving copies with intact binding, complete text, and provenance markings are highly desirable. The Macduff inscriptions, combined with the rare John Gunn bookseller stamp, make this Bible a rare example of 18th-century religious, printing, and social history intersecting in a single volume.
Item Details
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Title: The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments…
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Imprint: Oxford: Printed by John Baskett, 1725
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Format: Duodecimo (16 × 8.5 cm)
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Binding: Contemporary full leather, panelled boards, gilt spine (heavily worn but original)
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Provenance: Early bookseller’s stamp, “Sold by John Gunn at the Prince’s-Gate in Leicester-Fields”
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Inscriptions: Macduff family genealogical records (Alexander Macduff of Bonhard, 1698–1765, and descendants)
A genuine 1725 Baskett Bible, rich with historical, genealogical, and bibliographic significance — perfect for collectors of early Bibles, Oxford printing, or Scottish family history.
This Bible is complete with a Book of Common Prayer, Old Testament, New Testament and a Whole book of Psalms. The Apocrypha was not bound with this book.
Condition:
- Wearing and slight cracking on the covers.
- Spine has more cracking.
- All pages accounted for and very almost 100% legible.
- Occasional splits in the leaves where they connect to the spine (2 as far as I can see)
- Some few pages are almost loose. (example John Chapter 12/13)
- The gilting is heavily worn.
- Staining and foxing can be found throughout.
Dimensions:
Weight - 756g
Height - 17.5cm
Width - 11cm
Thickness - 7cm
