Auction to feature first-edition Book of Mormon
Rare copy at sale in New York could fetch close to $100,000
This week, that first edition Book of Mormon goes on the auction block, too, one more example of increased interest in rare LDS documents.
Wednesday's sale, at Hessney Auction Center in Geneva, N.Y., features an 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, which LDS Church founder Joseph Smith said he translated from gold plates. One of 5,000 originally printed and less than 600 believed to still exist, the first edition's estimated price is between $70,000 and $90,000, according to Hessney manager Mark Witmer.
That was also the estimate back in September for a similar first edition of the book, but that auction fetched $96,000, plus a commission that boosted the price nearly $10,000. Publicity about that sale apparently prompted other owners of similar 1830 editions of the Book of Mormon to scan their bookshelves, leading to two more auctions since then.
"People say, 'Let's pay the mortgage off,"' Witmer said about the owners' decision to sell the books. As for the buyers, according to AuctionPublicity.com, "The cornerstone of the Mormon religion, the 588-page text has soared in value over the last several years as collectors vie for the increasingly scarce work."
A 1997 Sotheby's auction brought $32,200 for a first edition Book of Mormon.
A March 2007 auction of an 1830 edition brought $180,000, the highest amount yet. It was signed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apostle Orson Pratt, with an inscription noting that the book had been given to its first owner by Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith's brother.
Wednesday's auction of the Book of Mormon will take place at noon Eastern time, following an estate sale that includes items ranging from Civil War bayonets to an antique Buddy L school bus and an 1840 cast iron parlor stove.
The auction also will include two letters written by LDS Church President Heber J. Grant in 1932, correspondences that provide a touching glimpse into his life and times.
The letters, both on LDS Church stationery, are written to the chairman of the National Employment Commission during the height of the Depression. In response to an appeal for donations to the commission, designed to provide jobs, President Grant's letter said, "I am supposed to be a wealthy man and drawing an immense salary, neither of which is true."
"Outside of my little bungalow of a storey and a half, the present market value of my assets would not reach ten thousand dollars," Grant continued. "It so happens that out of my fifty years of business life, because of losses in the panic of 1898 and subsequent losses through having endorsed notes for friends and corporations, I have spent thirty-two years of my life with every dollar lost before I made it."
Recent comments
I was appalled at someone being "uphauled"!
Grammar & Spelling Cop | Oct. 18, 2008 at 10:32 a.m.
The words are priceless, and you can find the same priceless words in...
Jodler | Feb. 25, 2008 at 8:16 p.m.
I was uphauled at the news of the sale. For anyone who has a...
son of seller | Dec. 20, 2007 at 11:30 p.m.
- 'Mates: Millsap deserves big payday 5:22 p.m.
- Millsap offer: $10.3M up front 4:59 p.m.
- Questions about osteoarthritis 4:43 p.m.
- Logan canal breaks; people missing 3:58 p.m.
- Man's body found 3:47 p.m.
- 'Love advocates' plan 'kiss-in' 3:46 p.m.
- Many-splendored container garden 3:29 p.m.
- California's $26B deficit 3:25 p.m.
- Eat your squash and blossoms 3:21 p.m.
- Searchers shovel seeking giant worm 3:18 p.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Utahns among Texans' investors
- Cash for Clunkers to get rolling soon
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Jazz rookies quiet Thunder youngsters
- Logan canal breaks; people missing
- LDS seminary principal arrested
319 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
191 - 2 men cited on LDS plaza
158 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
140 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
124 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
99 - Fairness of BCS debated
83 - Letters: Single-payer system best
76 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
The father of one of my friends was convicted of sexually abusing a 13 year...
This is a beautiful garden. This year I invested in "hanging pots" of...
Those number are not high. AK 16M are high. MILLAP is worth every penny+.
I don"t think he"s worth that much!!!! He hasn"t proven he can play starter...
All one needs to do is read the majority of comments on this blog to see why...
I feel sorry for the investors but not Sinclair Oil. They're getting the...
Keep Paul and trade Booz to Detroit for Rip Hamilton. Thats a pretty strong...
Millsap is a great high energy reserve, and perhaps can develop into a viable...
Anybody have Ms. Seed's home address so that we can organize our own event?...
Many youth and adults from our Stake recently had the opportunity to...

