The Bible Gallery Value Guide

The Bible Gallery is a monumental 1880 Victorian folio that brought the high-art religious iconography of Gustave Doré into the 19th-century middle-class home. This massive leather-bound volume is highly collectible for its one hundred intricate wood-engravings, which represent the pinnacle of Doré's career as the era's most successful illustrator.

What Is The Bible Gallery Worth?

The typical price range for The Bible Gallery is $75 - $85 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The physical condition of the leather binding, specifically looking for 'red rot' or detached spines common in heavy folios.
• The presence of foxing or water staining on the interior paper and wood-engraved plates.
• Completeness of the volume, ensuring none of the one hundred plates have been removed for individual framing.
• The vibrancy and preservation of the gold leaf detailing on the cover and page edges.

How to Identify The Bible Gallery?

• Verify the presence of exactly one hundred full-page wood-engraved illustrations by Gustave Doré.
• Check for the original 1880 publication date and United States origin on the title page.
• Look for the heavy leather binding often accented with gold leaf lettering and ornate Victorian embossing.
• Confirm the presence of descriptive letterpress text accompanying each of the masterful Biblical scenes.

History of The Bible Gallery

Gustave Doré was the most successful illustrator of the 19th century. His 1866 illustrated Bible was a monumental achievement that redefined religious iconography. The Bible Gallery, published around 1880, served as a curated collection of these masterful engravings accompanied by descriptive letterpress, making his high-art Biblical scenes accessible to the Victorian middle-class home.