Quayle Bible Collection Spans Centuries
Baker University is Home to Historic Collection
Nov 12, 2009
Historic bibles, other religious works, and some masterpieces of early printing are available for viewing in the Quayle Bible Collection on the Baker University campus in Baldwin City, Kansas.
Bishop Donated his Collection to his Alma Mater
The collection was started by Bishop William Alfred Quayle. After graduating from Baker Quayle became a Methodist minister then returned to his alma mater to become its president.
At the time of his death in 1925, the collection numbered 250 items. An excerpt from Quayle’s will at bakeru.edu reads, "I give and bequeath to Baker University my collection of Bibles . . . where these books, illustrative of chirography, printing, and the poetry of religion, may be always before the eyes of students to the end that thereby they may be incited to a scholarly love of books and deep enjoyment of them and abiding love of God."
According to Kay Bradt, director of library services for Baker, the collection currently stands at approximately 550 items. One of the most recent additions to the collection is a Millennium Bible.
Presidential bibles make up part of the collection. Every president since Harry Truman has signed a bible for the collection. Bradt said that the bibles are provided for the presidents. A bible and autograph request from Barak Obama will be headed to Washington, D.C., she said.
Collection Dates Back to Antiquity
According to a description of the collection on the Quayle Bible Collection page at bakeru.edu, "The collection’s main strength consists of printed materials before 1800, more than 300 original items reaching back to antiquity. These are preserved in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment. A page from the Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed from movable type, is on permanent display as are clay tablets from the ancient city of Ur. Illustrated manuscripts, those beautiful jewels of the written work, show the art of letter illumination or decoration."
The Quayle’s Current Exhibit Combines Art and Bibles
The current exhibit in the Quayle Bible Collection displays how the arts have been combined with Bibles over the years. According to Bradt, Psalm books from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries are on display. Additionally, there are historical and modern illustrated pages of Bibles and marbled end papers. Bradt said that this is the first time in the collection’s history that the marbled end papers have been on display.
Bible Collection is Open to the Public
The Quayle Bible Collection is open to the public from 1:00 to 4:00 PM Friday through Sunday. Special arrangements can be made to view the collection at other times, Bradt said. Arrangements can be made by calling 785-594-8390. If possible, one or two weeks advance notice is appreciated. The collection is housed in the Collins Library on the Baker University campus. The library is located at 518 Eighth Street in Baldwin City, Kansas.
