Newton’s Life of Christ (1811) Illustrated Evangelical History Antiquarian
 
Features
Very rare 1811 illustrated evangelical history
Complete with 24 full-page steel engravings
Includes rare List of Subscribers
Substantial devotional volume of the life and actions of Christ
Rebound in sturdy cloth while retaining original engraved plates
 
Bibliographic Details
Author: Rev. James Newton
Title: The Evangelical History of the Life and Actions of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Publisher: J. Stratford, No. 112 Holborn-Hill, London
Printer: W. Stratford, Crown-Court, Temple Bar, London
Date: 1811
Edition: Early edition with subscribers list
Binding: Later cloth bound over boards (non-original but sound)
Illustrations: 24 full-page steel engravings
Contents: 536pp + index + list of subscribers (complete)
Size: Approx. 26.2 × 21.2 × 4.2 cm
Weight: Approx. 1,490g
 
Exterior Condition
Rebound in quality brown cloth over boards
Gilt lettering on spine still clear
Boards and spine structurally sound
Period wear consistent with age:
Soft bumping to corners
Fading patches and light surface marks
Small rubbing at edges and corners
Light cloth crease marks
No dust jacket as typical for early 19th-century work.
 
Interior Condition
Pages tightly bound and secure
Majority of pages predominantly uncreased
No missing pages
No pen or pencil inscriptions
Early leaves (title–p.xii) show:
Dark tanning
Some stains
Small edge wear 
Rips towards the top
Text is still mostly legible on these pages and only small parts of the text are cut off on a couple of these. 
Besides these pages, all the text is present and unaffected
Very small hole at page ix and verso
Occasional small rips at edges thereafter, not affecting text or engravings
Later pages notably neater for age
 
About the Book
This extensive evangelical work recounts the life, ministry, miracles, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ in a devotional yet historically rooted narrative, supported by 24 detailed steel engravings. Works of this type were common in the early 19th century for religious instruction and private devotion, but complete illustrated editions with a subscribers list are uncommon on the market today.
 
About the Author
Rev. James Newton was a cleric and religious author active in the early 19th century. Works on Christian history and evangelical narrative were central to his output, contributing to popular devotional literature of his time.
 
Subscribers’ List
This volume includes the original printed List of Subscribers, bound at the rear, which provides valuable historical and bibliographical context. Subscription publishing was common for substantial illustrated works in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, enabling ambitious projects to be funded in advance by named supporters.
 
Notably, the subscribers listed for this 1811 publication include Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York and The Right Honourable Earl Stanhope, reflecting the book’s contemporary prestige and its appeal among both aristocratic and intellectual circles. Such lists are increasingly scarce in survival, as they were often removed or damaged over time.
 
The presence of the complete subscribers’ list enhances the book’s historical significance, provenance interest, and collectability, offering a tangible snapshot of early-19th-century readership and patronage. For collectors of religious history, evangelical literature, or early illustrated books, this is a particularly desirable feature.
 
Rarity & Market Context
No identical copies currently listed online on major rare book platforms
Books of this genre and period may exist in institutional collections and archive digitisations, but market visibility is extremely low
The presence of 24 steel engravings, a subscribers list, and early, complete pagination enhances rarity and collectability
This is very rare and harder to source than typical 19th-century devotional works.