Gutenberg originally printed 180 copies of the Bible, which were bound in leather in two volumes and sold to wealthy patrons around the European continent. The most expensive of these Bibles were printed on vellum. The rest of Gutenberg's Bibles were printed on a controversial hemp based paper product that many believed would not withstand the test of time.
Of the 180 Bibles that were published, there are a very few copies of the 42 line Bibles that are known to exist. There is also a version of the New Testament that has been published on vellum and its known that 48 copies of Gutenberg's Bible were published on the hemp-based paper.
The three perfect vellum copies still in existence are located in France, England, and the United States. In France, you can see the complete vellum version in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris besides a variety of rare and costly books. England's copy of the complete vellum Gutenberg Bible is located in the British Library in London. Here you will find an astounding collection of books that includes the original works of William Shakespeare. The third perfect vellum copy of the Gutenberg Bible is in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. A fourth and final perfect vellum copy of the Bible is in Goettigen, Germany's Universitaetsbibliothek.
Some of the other perfect copies of the Gutenberg Bible on paper are located in Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. In all, there are about eighteen perfect copies printed on hemp based paper which was at one time considered not durable enough.
There is even a copy of one of Gutenberg's Bibles in Asia. The Keio University Library in Tokyo is home to an incomplete, but still important copy of the 42 line Bible. This Bible is an imperfect copy printed on hemp based paper. Purchased in 1987 for a phenomenal $4.9 million by the Maruzen Company of Tokyo, the Bible was given to the University in 1996.
Many imperfect copies of Gutenberg Bibles exist, mainly on the European continent. Universities, libraries, and private collections all over Europe boast these fantastic Bibles and should not be missed by any traveler.
If you are interested in seeing a copy--complete or incomplete--of a Gutenberg Bible, look to the World Wide Web. Many of these Bibles have been digitized and are available for viewing in the comfort of your own home. Look at the Gutenberg Bible census (http://clausenbooks. com/gutenbergcensus.htm) to find a Bible in an area near you or where you plan to travel.
About the Author
Brett Nga runs a very interesting website at For Bibles visit there today for the latest Bible advice, and their free newsletter is well worth signing up for too. For more quality articles on Bible why not visit: http://www.forbibles.com/articlesThis and other unique content bibles articles are available with free reprint rights.
