A 50th Anniversary RSV Rebound by Mechling
Kyle Hedrick decided to have his Oxford 50th Anniversary edition of the RSV rebound by Mechling in scarlet goatskin. Knowing my passion for all things red, he decided to snap some pictures and share. Here's what the new RSV looks like:
And here's a better look at the spine:
Some thoughts from Kyle on the stiffness of the binding:
The Bible, as you can see, is much stiffer than I would like. The grain of this particular goatskin is not as supple as the Pitt Minion (although it is a little thicker), and not in the league with the Allen. Also, I understood that on the deluxe package, the lining was to be some type of leather. This lining looks and feels like the run of the mill cheapo stuff. Perhaps this is a leather lining but just feels like the cheapo stuff. Anyway, the Bible is beautiful and, if it breaks in with use, will be well worth the money.
And here's a view of the interior spread. I have one of these RSVs, and I think it's a nice, elegant text setting.
Kyle also snapped an updated photo of his "stack," now that the red RSV has arrived:
Notice The Message there in genuine leather? Like so many people, Kyle is really impressed with the single column design and the supple binding. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, whatever they're drinking at NavPress, I'd like to have a few casks delivered to everybody else.
J. Mark Bertrand is a novelist and pastor whose writing on Bible design has helped spark a publishing revolution. Mark is the author of Rethinking Worldview: Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in This World (Crossway, 2007), as well as the novels Back on Murder, Pattern of Wounds, and Nothing to Hide—described as a “series worth getting attached to” (Christianity Today) by “a major crime fiction talent” (Weekly Standard) in the vein of Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, and Henning Mankell.
Mark has a BA in English Literature from Union University, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston, and an M.Div. from Heidelberg Theological Seminary. Through his influential Bible Design Blog, Mark has championed a new generation of readable Bibles. He is a founding member of the steering committee of the Society of Bible Craftsmanship, and chairs the Society’s Award Committee. His work was featured in the November 2021 issue of FaithLife’s Bible Study Magazine.
Mark also serves on the board of Worldview Academy, where he has been a member of the faculty of theology since 2003. Since 2017, he has been an ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He and his wife Laurie life in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.