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Now that I’ve seen it I know what the fuss is all about

One of the most sought after Bibles among the Bible collecting crowd is the Cambridge Turquoise, or Presentation Reference. I had heard about this Bible for a while and finally got the chance to own a piece of history when I saw one on eBay. This one is a WWII vet with a 1946 printing. It has utility paper with a tan color-tone and around 38gsm. It has leather over board and has no concordance or dictionary. Now that I’ve seen it I know what the fuss is all about.

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It has a 10/11-point font that’s dark and readable, center-column references. I’d love to have a newer edition with a concordance and a dictionary. The dictionary in the Concord is a great study and sermon-prep tool.

If Cambridge doesn’t re-release the Turquoise they will be missing out on that market.

For the last few years the premium large print KJV space has been owned by R. L. Allan’s Longprimer. This is a nice Bible. It’s easy to see why it owns that market. In a couple of years we will see the release of Schuyler’s Quentel in KJV. That will be a Bible to own. If Cambridge doesn’t re-release the Turquoise they will be missing out on that market.

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I’m in the middle-age crowd. I’ve needed glasses for years because I have astigmatism. A year ago I needed reading glasses, so I went ahead and got bifocals. I love reading with a Bible on my lap. I love reading from the Concord, but with my two focal-points the font is too small to be in focus unless I hold the Bible closer than I want to. The Longprimer is perfect for this. So is the Quentel.

IMG_5945I also preach every Sunday. I love using large print Bibles. I’ve tried the Concord and every time I want the font to be larger. I’ve never needed the Longprimer’s font to be larger. That size font is what I want for reading and preaching.

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So why the Turquoise? Center-column cross-references, dictionary, 10/11-point font. Sure, there are large print Bibles on the market. I’ve got a few good ones, but none of them draw me to the text like this Turquoise does. The Longprimer doesn’t have italics. Its references are chain references; which are great for study but I like having cross-references for general use. Then there’s the footnotes. The Longprimer’s footnotes are a mixture of good info (cited in xx) and annoying (the best MSS say…). I’ll take the footnotes in the Turquoise (just my preference). The Turquoise font is larger and has more white-space, making it more readable.

Cambridge could easily own this space

Show me another large print reference Bible in KJV with a dark 10/11-point font, center-column cross-references, and quality footnotes (aside from a $500 pulpit Bible). Even if you can come up with one, you can’t name one that’s made with good quality materials. With Cambridge you get quality paper, print, sewn binding, and calf-split, calfskin, and goatskin leather covers. Cambridge could easily own this space.

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The aging eyes of yesterday’s Cambridge preachers have nowhere to go but to cheaply made editions that don’t match the quality they need or want to hand down to their children and grandchildren. The only other option for the moment is the Longprimer. The Turquoise has what the Longprimer does not with a 10/11-point font, italics for supplied words, and center-column cross-references. The Longprimer is a good choice but we need more choices. The Schuyler will be a good choice, but why give up this market?

Large print is not just for aging eyes

Large print is not just for aging eyes. I’ve always preferred larger Bibles and larger print. There is a time you need a small Bible, but in many cases you can use a large Bible with no trouble. I know many members of the younger crowd that feels the same way. They don’t choose one over the other – they choose both. Cambridge has them covered for the smaller Bibles with the Pitt Minion, Clarion, and Concord, but there’s no reference Bible with 10-point or above.

I want a larger ‘everything’ Bible

Up to this point the Cambridge Concord has been my ‘everything’ Bible. It’s the Bible I read from, study from, preach from, and carry with me. I want a larger print. I want a larger ‘everything’ Bible and the Turquoise is the only Cambridge Bible that fits that need.

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Cambridge… please bring back the Turquoise.

How about you? Do you own a Cambridge Turquoise or Presentation Reference? Do you want Cambridge to bring it back? Tell us, and Cambridge, about it in the comments below!