Other Important Editions in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division
• The Deseret Edition
The Deseret alphabet was devised as an alternative to the Latin alphabet for writing the English language. It was developed during the 1850s at the University of Deseret, now the University of Utah, and was promoted by Church President Brigham Young.
The name Deseret is taken from a word in the Book of Mormon and means "honeybee. It reflects the Mormon use of the beehive as a symbol of co-operative industry.
Brigham Young's secretary, George D. Watt, was among the designers of the Deseret alphabet and is thought to have used the Pitman English Phonotypic Alphabet of 1847 as the model.
The Mormon Church commissioned two typefaces and published four books using the Deseret alphabet. The Church-owned Deseret News also published passages of scripture using the alphabet on occasion. In addition, some historical records, diaries, and other materials were hand-written using this script, and it had limited use on coins and signs. The alphabet failed to gain wide acceptance and was not actively promoted after 1869.
The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon. New York, for the Deseret University, by Russell bros., 1869.
• Second Edition
Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon : an account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi ... / translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. Kirtland, Ohio : Printed by O. Cowdery & Co. for P. P. Pratt and J. Goodson, 1837.
Second edition Errors in paging.
• Third Edition Revised
Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon / translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. Nauvoo, Ill. : Printed by Robinson and Smith, 1840.
3d edition, carefully revised by the translator.
• First European Edition
Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon. Liverpool, Eng., Printed by J. Tompkins for B. Young, H. C. Kimball and P. P. Pratt, 1841.
1st European edition
Stereotype Edition
Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon / translated by Joseph Smith. Nauvoo, Ill. : Printed by J. Smith, 1842.
4th American, and 2d stereotype edition, carefully revised by the translator.
L.C. copy imperfect: p. 217-252 wanting.
German Edition
Book of Mormon. German. Das Buch Mormon. Hamburg, 1852.
Hawaiian Edition
Book of Mormon. Ka buke a Moramona: he mooolelo i kakauia e ka lima o Moramona, maluna iho o na papa i laweia mailoko mai o na papa o Nepai ... San Francisco, Paiia G. Q. Pukuniahi, 1855.
Book of Mormon in Hawaiian as translated by Josepa Samika.