The Bible Society in New Zealand Collection of 166 pre-1800 bibles and related material was deposited at the Alexander Turnbull Library on permanent loan in 1978.
The printed items in the Collection range from folio to miniature formats and include:
- five incunabula
- Hebrew, Greek, German, and Latin bibles from the 16th century
- Dutch, French, Irish, Welsh, and Syriac bibles from the 17th century
- diglots and polyglots ( including a Gothic, Icelandic, Swedish and Latin polyglot from 1671).
English bibles include examples of the main 16th-century versions: Tyndale, Matthew, Coverdale, Great, Geneva, Bishops, and Rheims bibles. Error bibles include the Great She Bible and the Vinegar Bible.
Manuscript items from the Collection are held in the Turnbull Library's Manuscripts Collection.
More about the Turnbull Library's Special Printed Collections
About the Bible Society in New Zealand and its collection
Bibles contributed much to shaping what was distinctive about New Zealand's colonial past. They were commonly part of the luggage of 19th-century settlers, and were a reminder of home and a symbol of civilisation. In addition, they were often used as a means of recording significant family events.
The Bible Society was active in New Zealand almost from the beginning of European settlement. The London-based British and Foreign Bible Society established an auxiliary in Auckland in 1846, followed soon after by Wellington in 1848. Various other branches followed, and an independent national organisation was formed in 1918.
The Bible Society in New Zealand started collecting historical material in 1932, when a collection of bibles and medieval manuscripts belonging to Masterton collector Albert Clemas (1880-1956) became available for purchase. Other acquisitions soon followed, and from 1933 the Bible Society’s library formed the basis of a travelling display at agricultural and pastoral shows around New Zealand. Eventually, the collection became too valuable to be shown and instead was kept at the Wellington office, where it was rarely visited.
Planned changes to collection access
Our collections will be relocated while the Library building in Wellington is being redeveloped. This collection will continue to be available at Archives New Zealand. However there will be a temporary closure while it is packed and moved.
We expect to finalise the dates of the relocation later in 2009. We will give you at least one month's notice of collection access changes and closures.
For more information email atl@natlib.govt.nz
Find out more about planned changes to collection access
Access items in this collection
Items can be viewed onsite in the manuscripts reading room on the first floor of the Library on weekdays. Please make prior arrangement with the Curator by phone or email so that the items you require will be ready for you.
Sixty-four titles, including the five incunabula, are listed on the National Library Catalogue.
The remainder are currently uncatalogued. Contact the Curator of the Special Printed Collections for access.
Borrow items in this collection
Original items from this collection cannot be borrowed.
Get copies from items in this collection
You can order digital photographs and microfilm copies of items in this collection.
Photocopies are possible under certain circumstances, depending upon the physical condition of the item. Photocopies are made by Library staff.
More about copyright and usage
Get help
We can answer your enquiries in person, by letter, phone or email.
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