"PIONEER Edition” by Steve Blake: 1830 Book of Mormon Replica, Handcrafted

Description: Special sale price $398. Reg. $498. "PIONEER Edition" - This exact replica of the 1830 Book of Mormon is built like the pioneers' copies. It has EXTRA LEATHER AND STITCHING to replace the original covers. The reason: Their original leather covers sometimes wore out from travel and weather, so they added new, thicker leather and hand-stitched it onto their treasured copies for extra protection, especially when driven across the plains.This book is handcrafted, leather-bound and stitched, like the original First Edition two centuries ago, then painstakingly antiqued by master book craftsman Steve Blake, with Joseph Smith's signature accurately re-created.ABOUT THE BOOK Blake skillfully begins with the best printed replica on the market – the one from Stratford Books / Grandin Artisans. (He has evaluated all replica brands carefully – and proved through testing that the Stratford / Grandin version is the best by far – it has the best paper, ink, and most accurate features to the ORIGINAL First Edition two centuries ago.) He then professionally ages the books. The text inside the book has EVERY detail that the original 1830 had – Pages of an original 1830 were scanned with the highest clarity per the high-grade Stratford / Grandin replica to create the authentic text. Photos here are representative of one copy only, different than what you will receive, because each has a unique pattern of color and texture – all looking different from each other because of the way they've aged. No two books are alike, yet all have the appearance of age and wear. Some pages may have bends or crinkles as part of the aging process, but this does not affect the value or integrity of the book, and actually enhances it. This book is signed by artist Steve Blake in real gold ink on a back page, with a small embossed circle as well to differentiate it from the original 1830 book. Because of the handcrafted nature, each is a unique work of art – like an original painting. “Working on each book is very personal to me. Every book seems to have its own 'personality,' says Blake. Each is beautiful and unusual. It serves as a conversation-starter – the PREMIER WORK OF THE RESTORATION to show others. People often display it prominently for family and friends at home and work. WHO IS STEVE BLAKE? A specialist in Art Restoration, Steve restores antiques of all kinds, particularly Fine Art pieces. He also specializes in leather. As a volunteer for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in restoring old documents, his replicas are displayed in the Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City. “The replica enables people to see and touch the book – they can turn the pages and smell the leather,” he says, “not possible with the originals, because many are so fragile. But now they can know what it is like to experience those original first editions read and loved by the pioneers.” BACKGROUND AND VALUE OF THE 1830 BOOK OF MORMON By late March 1830 the Book of Mormon was available for sale, printed by E.B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York, for Joseph Smith, who translated the work from gold plates. In 1999 a copy of E. B. Grandin's first edition sold for $58,000, and in 2007 a copy was sold at auction for $180,000. It has soared in value over the last several years as collectors vie for this increasingly scarce work. Of the original 5,000 copies printed, about 500 are believed to still exist. Of those actually located, about 250 are in the hands of private collectors, and 50 are owned by libraries and museums. FINAL POINT Experience what early Latter-day Saints sacrificed for ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. The original editions and even these hand-crafted replicas are becoming rare treasures in old-style craftsmanship! c. 2021 Airworthy

Price: 498 USD

Location: Pueblo, Colorado

End Time: 2024-08-25T02:02:48.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD