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Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties

88 replies

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 19:12

DS aged 11 is enjoying RE at school and we’ve been discussing bible stories, particularly the creation myths at the beginning. We aren’t religious so his knowledge of the bible is scant. He is very interested in it all.
I was taken to church as a child, was bought a bible and read it again and again, so my knowledge of the bible is good.
I want to get hold of a copy of this bible I had as a kid as they just don’t make them like that any more. They’re all rated U these days, whereas mine was more of a 12 certificate! I’ve looked on eBay but I can’t find it because I can’t remember the publisher.
It was:
Owned and read by me in the eighties
A4 sized and thickish
Had some of the more obscure Old Testament stories, eg. Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego in the fire (great illustration!)
Illustrated on every page - some almost full double-paged illustrations, eg the flood.
Illustrations highly detailed and realistic
Here’s the main clue - the illustrations were graphic, and I mean pretty violent, horrific and memorable. It didn’t shy away from the nasty bits and that’s particularly why I loved it.
Can anyone help me? I reckon if you had it and took a photo of one of the illustrations I would probably remember it.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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ArblemarchTFruitbat · 01/12/2021 21:25

Joseph is 'well fit' in that Potiphar picture! I think I'd have done the same as Mrs Potiphar if he really looked like that.

DrCoconut · 01/12/2021 21:16

I had the bible for children. It's currently in the crèche at our local church!

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 21:02

@Etherealhedgehog
GrinThat’s brilliant. I’m definitely stealing that for an eighties-set sitcom I might write in the future

OP posts:
mishmased · 01/12/2021 21:02

@Nuffaluff apologies didn't realise you found it.

mishmased · 01/12/2021 20:59

@Nuffaluff

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
FAQs · 01/12/2021 20:59

@Etherealhedgehog

On the subject of John's head, for a Sunday School fancy dress competition when I was about 7 my mother had me dress up as Salome - we made a papier mache, very gruesome John the Baptist head, which I held up by its long, knitting yarn hair. I still can't quite decide whether this makes her batshit crazy or the best mum ever. The competition was won by some kid wearing store-bought, plastic centurion armour, dressed as a generic Roman soldier. I was absolutely robbed.
🤣
FAQs · 01/12/2021 20:58

Blimey if that had that in schools now it would def end up in the Daily Mail with an angry adult face and sad child. Grin

Etherealhedgehog · 01/12/2021 20:56

On the subject of John's head, for a Sunday School fancy dress competition when I was about 7 my mother had me dress up as Salome - we made a papier mache, very gruesome John the Baptist head, which I held up by its long, knitting yarn hair. I still can't quite decide whether this makes her batshit crazy or the best mum ever. The competition was won by some kid wearing store-bought, plastic centurion armour, dressed as a generic Roman soldier. I was absolutely robbed.

MichelleScarn · 01/12/2021 20:55

I had this one! I remember now from Joseph and Potifer(sp?) wife pic.

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:54

I love mumsnet.

OP posts:
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:53

Found it! Bought it!
Fiver on eBay. Can’t wait until it arrives.
Mine was from 1985 and had a lovely picture of Jesus talking with the little children.
Giving not a hint of what’s inside.

OP posts:
merryhouse · 01/12/2021 20:49

@mynameiscalypso

I don't even know where to start on the pic of John's head. I think the creepiest bit is the man who is clearly checking out the woman's bum.
Well yes, that would be Herod
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:48

Looking at world of books it looks as if some copies might be more modern with updated , toned-down illustrations.
I think I might have to go ‘old and rare’.

OP posts:
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:44

The ones on eBay don’t show the pictures inside. Ad some of them don’t show the cover! Frustrating.
What if I end up with an edition with the words by Hadaway and co but without the parental guidance required illustrations?

OP posts:
banivani · 01/12/2021 20:40

@Nuffaluff

Most of the pictures in the book are men with striped headdresses talking and pointing earnestly

GrinFunnily enough, I don’t remember any of those.

Grin right?

They sort of made an impression actually because the amount of fabric everyone is wearing and it’s all in these impressive folds. I’ve always enjoyed that.

One more photo since I chickened out of Herod. A sexy one, v child appropriate. Wink

Help me find this children’s bible from the eighties
Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:37

Most of the pictures in the book are men with striped headdresses talking and pointing earnestly

GrinFunnily enough, I don’t remember any of those.

OP posts:
Livpool · 01/12/2021 20:37

Did it have a blue cover with gold writing OP?

Nuffaluff · 01/12/2021 20:36

Thanks everyone, I’m so grateful and especially banivani, you star!!

OP posts:
Somebodylikeyew · 01/12/2021 20:35

Wow, that’s amazing/disturbing! Grin

banivani · 01/12/2021 20:35

God sure I did nothing! Hope the OP gets a copy though! The stories in it are actually really good, I mean it’s a solid bible.

PlanktonsComputerWife · 01/12/2021 20:33

There are a couple on eBay, OP

Fab work, banivani!

banivani · 01/12/2021 20:33

Oh the head of John! So many good pictures!

banivani · 01/12/2021 20:32

Actually it’s really grim and I don’t know if I should. There’s blood on the sword for heaven’s sake! :( Most of the pictures in the book are men with striped headdresses talking and pointing earnestly but then there are these horrifying depictions of utter violence. It was very gripping though for a child and I do in a way prefer it to sanitised cutesy animals iyswim.

Tillymintpolo · 01/12/2021 20:32

I had that one, and the one with the yellow / gold cover too

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