"The ONLY 1830 replica bound in leather.”—Steve Rasmussen, Book Conservator

“The most ACCURATE one in modern times.” —Steve Blake, Leather Book Artisan

“The only replica with 50 authentic, accurate features.”—Richard Lloyd Dewey, Historian

The result: Master book-binder Ethan Ensign of Scrub Oak Bindery endorses this as the best-made, mass-produced 1830 replica. He has restored over 50 copies of the original 1830 edition.

The publisher is the highest quality book replica company, Grandin Artisans / Stratford Books

The research team “dissected” five 1830 originals to analyze every aspect of the books' construction. None were employed by Grandin Artisans/Stratford Books.

LEATHER COVER – “No other mass-produced replica uses leather,” states Leather Book Artisan, Steve Blake. “Other replicas claim to, but in testing, their covers proved to be 100% paper-based or plastic – bubbling under high pressure – typical of Leatherette (fake leather).”

COVER WITH MOST AUTHENTIC COLOR – “This is the color of leather when published in 1830. Light beige is the natural color of calfskin. (After the 1830 edition came out, UV light and oxygen slowly oxidized the proteins in leather, turning it dark brown over the decades. Skin oils from people also turned it darker and smoothed it out),” according to Dewey. “But this replica's leather color is like the original in 1830.”

AUTHENTIC 22k GOLD SHADE ON SPINE – “Only this replica has the right gold shade – 22k,” reports Vance Hawkins, who measured every aspect of the First Edition copies and compared side-by-side the replica's gold shade to other actual 22k gold sources.

DIGITIZED TEXT from the First Edition – “Typography and layout are exact via high-definition scanning of the First Edition,” reports Blake.

STITCHED BINDING – “Pages are sewn – not just glued like some replicas,” he adds. “And it lacks headbands and tailbands” (generally unnecessary decorative cloth strips where the text block meets the spine). “Most other replicas are not authentic to the original and include those strips.” (“In addition to stitching, a small amount of glue is added to the Grandin/Stratford replica spine,” states Dewey, “so the books can apparently last many more decades than otherwise, even with heavy use.”)

MOST ACCURATE PAPER - “Some replicas use cheap paper called 'groundwood,' states Dewey, not part of the research team. “But it turns gray and brittle in a few years. That's the same low quality paper used in most modern novels. Other replicas use a dark cream-yellow paper not at all accurate to the original 1830 light cream paper.” Rasmussen summarizes, “The Grandin Artisans/Stratford Books edition comes closest to the original's cotton-based paper in texture, pH, and opacity. It's also the most correct paper color I've seen.”

ACCURATE SPECKLE-FREE PAGES – “1830 originals included NO SPECKLES, while others had RED speckles and still others had BLUE,” reports Blake.“The plain version is easily the most attractive one, free from the distracting glitter-like speckles.”

AUTHENTIC ARTWORK ON SPINE - “Some replicas have the book's title in the wrong size or font,” says Rasmussen, who also has restored numerous 1830 originals. “But this one is absolutely authentic.”

MOST ACCURATE WEIGHT – “Some replicas are too heavy. Most are too light. Only this one is precise almost to the exact gram,” states book analyst Larry Brukiewa, who precisely measured 5 First Edition copies as part of the research project.

ALL TEXT PROPERLY POSITIONED on every page – “Not all replicas are accurate this way,” says Blake. “For example, in some replicas, the testimonies of the Three and Eight Witnesses are located in the front of the book (where they were moved to years later), rather than in the back, where they were in 1830.”

CORRECT NUMBER of “end sheets” (blank pages in front and back) – “Only this replica has the right number,” states Blake. “Over the two centuries, most end sheets were torn out and used for notes and letter-writing, leaving few copies with all the original end sheets. This replica includes them all. It's the only one that does.”

Grandin Artisans/Stratford Books has been making 1830 replicas longer than anyone – selling through eight editions since 2005 – with each one an improvement, resulting in the best replica yet.

The cost to produce a replica this accurate – with PAINSTAKING DETAILS for paper, stitching, and leather – could justify a retail price far higher. But the publishers wish to make it affordable to everyone. This way it can be shared with friends and family to start conversations on the Book of Mormon's exciting launch in 1830.

Treasure the beauty of this leather bound replica with all 50 accurate features. Let them feel, hold, and even smell the leather and freshly milled paper as the first generation converts did in their day. Also read it just as Joseph and Emma Smith, Brigham Young, and others did 200 years ago!