It is also going to Paris, after the US.

Oh I didn’t know that. I’m glad it will be having a good run. I suppose it’s too much to hope for it to make it all the way to Australia though.

I'd be surprised if they don't sell through in the US exhibition. Lots of people with deep pockets...

For those on the fence, or wanting something a bit more unique: I will soon be listing (where, I'm not sure yet; possibly here, if it's allowed) a copy of the Collector's Edition that has been signed by all contributors — editor Catherine McIlwaine, John Garth, Verlyn Flieger, myself, Tom Shippey, Wayne Hammond, and Christina Scull. There are maybe 8 of these in existence — you can see them behind me in the attached picture of us signing books for the Bodleian. (I can't tell you the limitation number yet, as it won't arrive back home here until this coming week.)


I'm selling this to help defray my travel costs to the exhibit opening, so this won't go cheap. If you're interested, please PM me and let me know, and maybe include the opening bid you'd make on this, to help me decide whether it's worth listing.

Thanks!

Carl

So are standard editions signed by everyone (which is what looks like is being signed in the photo) available anywhere? Or were you all just signing copies for each other?

Interesting offer all the same, Carl. You omitted Priscilla's name in that list, I assume deliberately; did she sign too?

Some of the signed standard editions are for ourselves and for Bodleian staff, but the bulk are, I believe, for use by the Bodleian for promotions, contest prizes, etc. in the coming year. They are not, to my knowledge available for sale.

Priscilla signed the limitation sheets. She was not present for the signing of the book itself.

Ah, cheers for that info. Something to look out for in the future.

Thanks for that picture Aelfwine! I wonder which of those collector's editions is mine?

A few additional thoughts:

Aelfwine wrote

I will soon be listing (where, I'm not sure yet; possibly here, if it's allowed) a copy of the Collector's Edition that has been signed by all contributors

You are welcome to list it for sale here, as are other collectors and dealers with their wares, as long as the item(s) are Tolkien related. If in the future it seems to be getting overwhelming or abused, I will discuss with the members and come up with a new policy.

In regards to Paris: I have heard rumors as well, though when I tried to dig in further while in Oxford, all the detail I could ascertain was that there is an already planned exhibition on fantasy ("much larger than the Bodleian's exhibition") and that the goal was to have some subset of the Bodleian exhibition be made available there. The exhibition is not traveling in its entirety there, and the Paris exhibition is not focused on Tolkien. (All of this is unsubstantiated until some official announcement is made - I cannot find anything online at this time.)

Side note - as Priscilla was not a contributor of an essay to the Catalogue [side side note, still getting used to writing the British spelling of that word], I don't think it unusual that they did not have her signing. She (and others from the family) did contribute a large number of items to the exhibition, though, thus the reasoning in having her sign the Collector's edition.

In regards to Paris: I have heard rumors as well, though when I tried to dig in further while in Oxford, all the detail I could ascertain was that there is an already planned exhibition on fantasy ("much larger than the Bodleian's exhibition") and that the goal was to have some subset of the Bodleian exhibition be made available there. The exhibition is not traveling in its entirety there, and the Paris exhibition is not focused on Tolkien. (All of this is unsubstantiated until some official announcement is made - I cannot find anything online at this time.)

That's right, it will be about Tolkien and fantasy, with various topics like video games, for example. For what I heard, Paris's exhibition will show some elements not exhibited in Oxford in the part of the Bodleian that will travel.