The Handcrafted Collection CSB Study Bible
The Christian Standard Bible continues to gain popularity. Holman also continues to produce gorgeous editions of this translation. Do you really need a premium edition of a study Bible? Well… no, not really. But is it really, really nice? Yes, yes it is! Let’s take a closer look at the Handcrafted Collection CSB Study Bible.
One of the interesting things about premium study Bibles is that they just strike you as really, really big. This Bible is a behemoth! But that’s just more goatskin goodness that you get to wrap your hands around. This Bible comes in a black goatskin. What I notice is that the goatskin is really soft and has a beautiful grain. While heavy, this is a nice feeling Bible!
The spine has three blind stamped bars on it. I do love spine hubs and I wish Holman would go that direction, but this is a very clean look. Stamped in gold is the CSB logo, “HOLY BIBLE”, “CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE”, and “HOLMAN”.
The pages are a red under gold art gilt. Mine included several scratches on the gilt, but I’ve actually seen some copies that arrived with much more. Scratches on the gilt don’t bother me because they’re bound to happen if you use the Bible, but this will be a sticking point for some. This Bible also includes three double-sided satin bookmarks. I think that the Handcrafted Collection is really starting to do the bookmarks right. They have a nice width and length. They also come in what seems to be the signature colors: black, yellow, and red.
Inside, there’s a smooth calfskin liner and a lovely gold perimeter gilt line that really compliments this Bible. This Bible is edge-lined and smyth-sewn for durability. A Bible this thick needs it!
I’m not sure the gsm of the paper on this Bible, but I am impressed by it. It seems nice and thick to me. Ghosting is very minimal, which is helpful because this Bible includes 94 photographs, 61 timelines, 55 maps, 21 illustrations/reconstructions, and 19 charts. These are all in full color. Also included are over 15,000 study notes, 368 word studies, and 34 articles. You also get book introductions and outlines, a concordance, and cross-references.
What really strikes me about this Bible compared to the ESV Study Bible (which is my favorite) is the modern feel and readability. My eyes aren’t getting younger and I feel like this CSB Study Bible is much easier for my eyes to read. One really helpful thing is that the notes are on top of a peach-colored background, which helps make the smaller font much more readable. Maps and pictures being full color also really gives this Bible a modern feel.
I really like the Handcrafted Collection CSB Study Bible. The modern feel in the premium package makes you want to sit with this Bible and absorb the information that’s packed in it. You can pick up your copy from Lifeway or Amazon. (affiliate)
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this Bible from Holman in exchange for a fair and honest review.
