If people have not seen this then Troel's blog also talks about the Burren Tolkien Society.

"Burren Tolkien Society
http://www.burrentolkiensociety.ie/
The Burren Tolkien Society, along with their Tolkien Festival, has recently received a some justified criticism for their completely spurious claims that features of the Irish Burren inspired anything in either The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, and also for the display of dragon-sickness in requiring people to donate €50.- to be able to even bid at a (rather worn) first edition copy of Tree and Leaf with a printed autograph. I think it is very sad that they have chosen to antagonize many serious Tolkienists by their ludicrous claims and practices, as there is a lot of sound research that has been buried by this silliness. So, do not believe any claim that Tolkien's visits to Ireland (starting in the summer of 1949, when The Lord of the Rings had been finished in draft for a year) inspired anything in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, but enjoy the biographical information concerning Tolkien's other links to this area of Ireland.

http://parmarkenta.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... n-transactions-xxxvi.html

They have also posted another letter from Tolkien (not for sale) on their Facebook pages, I suspect that they do not hold permission from the Estate to make this copyrighted letter available.

Wayne thanks for this but i wonder why no notice of your email was taken, he acknowledged my comments on the book's printed signature as if it was new information and that he had not heard it before.

I have no idea. I replied at once (11 April) and had no indication that my e-mail wasn't delivered. Maybe it was felt that the point about the signature was still open to question. I didn't question that the copy had association value.

Wayne

Just out of interest, since Trotter mentions copyright: I understand when letters are bought & sold on, although the physical letter itself is the property of whoever bought it, the content still resides (is still "owned" in copyright terms) with the author of the letter; in respect to publishing it. Is this still the case when the original recipient of the letter still owns it? i.e. in this case. I'm sure it does, but for a second it seemed odd when I considered it.

BH

"Is this still the case when the original recipient of the letter still owns it?"

The Tolkien Estate owns the rights to anything he wrote, regardless of who possesses the letter.

The item fetched 1150 euros.

Yikes, some people must not have read the updated descriptions. Does that total include the 50 euro "bidder's registration" fees collected?

Urulókë wrote:
Yikes, some people must not have read the updated descriptions. Does that total include the 50 euro "bidder's registration" fees collected?

Yes, I think it does, you had to pay €50 to place bids, but that came off the winning price, so all the other idiots bidders also paid €50 for a book probably worth less than €50 as it is not a good copy of the edition. I would not be surprised if they did not get €500 or more from potential buyers registering.

Jlong wrote:
"Is this still the case when the original recipient of the letter still owns it?"

The Tolkien Estate owns the rights to anything he wrote, regardless of who possesses the letter.

I'm not sure how enforceable this would be, realistically. People publicly disclose the contents of letters written to them all the time (in legal disputes, for example), and they are not opening themselves up to legal proceedings by doing so. That said, the legal system favours the rich, so I have no doubt that the Tolkien Estate get their own way in most matters.

Trotter wrote:

Urulókë wrote:
Yikes, some people must not have read the updated descriptions. Does that total include the 50 euro "bidder's registration" fees collected?

Yes, I think it does, you had to pay €50 to place bids, but that came off the winning price, so all the other idiots bidders also paid €50 for a book probably worth less than €50 as it is not a good copy of the edition. I would not be surprised if they did not get €500 or more from potential buyers registering.

The buyer would have a good case for a refund. The seller repeatedly misrepresented the item during the pre-sales process.

Ok, based on their Facebook page the final bid was for 1150 Euros. Does not include any fees (see next paragraph).

Also careful reading of the auction description page shows that the 50 Euro fee was for membership to the week-long festival, so you got other benefits besides being able to bid, so I was wrong to call it just a "bidder registration fee".

Given that this was a charity auction I am hoping beyond hope that the winner was bidding the charity, not the book.

"Proceeds from the auction will go to local charities."