Cancelled my order last night & the refund process went through this morning; as Stu said, very promptly handled. I cited the lack of features in comparison to the Marks of Genius edition (as an example); not signed, no slipcase, no goatskin binding, and £75 more expensive (MoG was only published two years ago). Will keep an eye on whether things change but not holding my breath.

BH

Yeah, I can't see any reason whatsoever to go beyond the standard hardback edition at this stage. I'm not bothered about having something just because it is there and has a limitation.

I think I’m settling for the standard hardback too. The deluxe is completely out of my price range - I would’ve pushed to get it if there were something unique about it, but I simply can’t justify splurging only for a couple extra art prints and a cloth binding.

Eorl wrote:
I think I’m settling for the standard hardback too. The deluxe is completely out of my price range - I would’ve pushed to get it if there were something unique about it, but I simply can’t justify splurging only for a couple extra art prints and a cloth binding.

No it's odd. I wonder if they are just catering to the rich-guy-who-visits-the-exhibition market, really, rather than traditional collectors per-sé. I imagine they have quite a good handle on how their exhibitions drive their sales of related works. Plus they obviously made a conscious decision to downgrade the offering from their original ideas.

Yeah, and I also feel (though I may be wrong) that Tolkien items do seem to have a bit of a premium or markup above the average cost of other books/collectibles/etc.

I suppose they’re assured there’s always some subset of fans who will buy items without giving too much thought to the value for money.

Just happened across the amazon.com preorder page for the standard hardcover of this - note that often Amazon is unable to fulfill orders for UK books (for example if a US publisher has the rights i.e. HMHCo). There is an amazon.co.uk page as well, but with no ability to pre-order at this time.

I haven't checked if it's been relisted yet, but the Bodleian also made a mistake with the price. It's going to be more than £275, with no hint of any better features. Think I'll spend the money on a trip down to exhibition instead.

BH

Khamûl wrote:
I haven't checked if it's been relisted yet, but the Bodleian also made a mistake with the price. It's going to be more than £275, with no hint of any better features. Think I'll spend the money on a trip down to exhibition instead.

BH

I did wonder if they would also put the price up.

As the page was pulled down (and will likely change), I wanted to archive what the original text was for the collector's edition. I've added some highights of the "premium" features called out at the time. None of this should be taken as indicating what the edition will actually contain when released. I have been told that the updated webpage for ordering will be back online in January.

Tolkien: Maker of Middle Earth (Collector's Edition)
£275.00
Product Code: BK0002

The collector’s edition of Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth is a unique keepsake of the Bodleian Library’s landmark exhibition on the life and work of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Bound in cloth and hand-finished, the cover reproduces a vignette of the main exhibition image of Bilbo's arrival at huts of the Raft-elves, exquisitely recreated using a silkscreen process. The book is printed with special endpapers reproducing Tolkien’s drawing of Mirkwood.

The collector’s edition contains five unique facsimiles of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work printed on fine Italian paper, including Tolkien’s painting of the dustjacket for The Hobbit, complete with his marginal notes and the original publisher’s comments; two sides of a manuscript page from the Lord of the Rings, one with the drawing of Shelob’s Lair; the Tower of Orthanc, drawn on the back of a student’s exam paper on Chaucer (never before printed showing both sides); the 1936 Father Christmas Letter and Envelope bearing North Pole stamp (one of a series created over twenty-three years for his children), complete with a Christmas Card depicting Polar Bear’s bath which overspills, wetting the children’s gifts on the floor below; and the newly discovered map drawn by Christopher Tolkien, with J.R.R. Tolkien's annotations, from which Pauline Baynes painted her Poster map of Middle-earth.

The facsimiles are all produced to a very high standard, faithfully reproducing every detail of the originals kept in an underground safe in the Bodleian Library. They are presented in a custom-made envelope, bearing the author’s initials, matching the box and the outer carton, which also bear Tolkien’s initials. A six-page leaflet describes and interprets each facsimile item.

Each of the seven authors contributing to catalogue has signed the hand-numbered limitation page, guaranteeing authenticity and making this a truly unique edition for collectors. The edition is strictly limited to 500 copies and is expected to be in high demand.

ISBN: 9781851244997

Catherine McIlwaine is the Tolkien Archivist at The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.

The signed limitation page has been confirmed as no longer planned, and in addition the limitation is 600 copies not 500.

Some more info from the Bodleian on next year's exhibition.

http://bodleianlibs.tumblr.com/post/1 ... her-ring-to-rule-them-all