How to identify a first printing
- 1942-1960s: Independent LDS publisher founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton (Marvin Wallin became associated later). No number line; identify firsts by copyright year and absence of a reprint or later-printing notice.
- 1960s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines appear; later printings noted by an added line or year. Bruce R. McConkie's 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958) and its substantially revised second edition (1966) are Bookcraft titles, and the 1958 first versus 1966 revised second is the key collecting distinction.
- 1980s-1999: standard descending number line on the copyright page; the lowest digit present indicates the printing, so a '1' present indicates a first printing.
- Post-1999: the imprint was absorbed by Deseret Book, and later 'Bookcraft' printings follow Deseret Book conventions.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton; the leading independent (non-Church-owned) LDS publisher for most of the 20th century, a counterpart to the Church-owned Deseret Book.
- Publisher of Bruce R. McConkie's controversial 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958; substantially revised second edition 1966); first versus second edition is the signature Bookcraft collecting point.
- Acquired by Deseret Management Corporation in April 1999 and combined with Deseret Book's publishing division; the Bookcraft name continued for a time as a Deseret imprint.
- Early titles are catalogued alongside Deseret titles in the Flake-Draper Mormon bibliography.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Bookcraft, Bookcraft Pubs., absorbed into Deseret Book 1999. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Bookcraft book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1942-1960s: Independent LDS publisher founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton (Marvin Wallin became associated later). No number line; identify firsts by copyright year and absence of a reprint or later-printing notice. 1960s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines appear; later printings noted by an added line or year. Bruce R. McConkie's 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958) and its substantially revised second edition (1966) are Bookcraft titles, and the 1958 first versus 1966 revised second is the key collecting distinction.
Does Bookcraft use a number line?
1960s-1980s: explicit printing statements and printing-history lines appear; later printings noted by an added line or year. Bruce R. McConkie's 'Mormon Doctrine' (first edition 1958) and its substantially revised second edition (1966) are Bookcraft titles, and the 1958 first versus 1966 revised second is the key collecting distinction.
Is a book-club edition a Bookcraft first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded in 1942 by John Kenneth Orton; the leading independent (non-Church-owned) LDS publisher for most of the 20th century, a counterpart to the Church-owned Deseret Book.
What era does this cover?
This covers Bookcraft (1942-1999 (imprint continued under Deseret Book)). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.