5b The Book of Mormon: an account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi. Translated by Joseph Smith, Kirtland Ohio 1837
Notes
Joseph Smith and the other Church leaders contemplated a second edition of the Book of Mormon as early as the summer of 1833 but the loss of Independence press and the preoccupation of the Kirtland shop with the Doctrine and Covenants, the hymnal, and Evening and Morning Star delayed a second edition until the winter of 1836-37. There are as few as 250 surviving copies out of an original print run of about 3,000 of the second edition Book of Mormon.
The preface signed by Parley Pratt and John Goodson explains that in preparation of the new edition, the first edition was “carefully re-examined and compared with the original manuscripts” by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Richard Howard has found more than two thousand changes which were written into the Printer’s manuscript of the 1830 Book of Mormon and incorporated in the second edition, and over one thousand other changed not indicated in the manuscript. It would seem, therefore, that the 1837 Book of Mormon was printed from the corrected Printer’s Manuscript, and additional changes were made as the book was set in type. Most of the changes were grammatical and stylistic. A few, however, are significant such as where “God” or “Eternal Father” on p. 25, lines 4 and 11; p. 26, line 9; and p.32, line 11 are changes to “Son of God” or “Son of the Eternal Father.” Thus the 1837 edition is an important progenitor in the genealogy of the Book of Mormon: from it was printed the first of a sequence of British and American editions culminating in the edition now in use by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Citing: A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church Vol1
Description
Original binding—with leather spine and marbled paper boards. Marbled paper appears to have been restored/added at a later date. Vertical creases in leather spine from wear. Gilt lettering and five gilt bands on spine. Faded ownership inscription on the back board endpaper. Quite clean on the interior with minimal foxing—as compared to most other copies. Handwriting, in ink, saying “Book of Mormon The” on title page. Wonderful condition for the age of the book. Protected in a custom made leather clamshell box with four raised bands and gilt gold lettering on the spine.
