Farmer Giles of Ham - Signed "Pearl from Chris"

Interesting or a wonder?

Christopher signing one of his father's books "Chris" while Tolkien was still alive? Hmm...

Khamûl wrote:
Interesting or a wonder?

Christopher signing one of his father's books "Chris" while Tolkien was still alive? Hmm...

Yep, I wasn't sure which it should really go under, tbh. Without some other info, it could plausibly be a gift from anyone. I wouldn't buy it personally.

So, this is the second "Pearl from Chris" item that I've seen (the other is now in private hands — and moreover I was able to see the actual inscription, unlike this listing). The first item also had an inscription in Quenya in tengwar with roman transcription. Both had features that could not have been known in the 1960s except by Tolkien and his close circle; but that could be known by a (much later) reader of Vinyar Tengwar and Parma Eldalamberon (or by an attentive researcher of the various sites that rifle through each VT and PE and put their contents online).

I asked Christopher about this, and he firmly denied that it was his handwriting, or that he knew any such "Pearl".

Carl

Aelfwine wrote:
So, this is the second "Pearl from Chris" item that I've seen (the other is now in private hands — and moreover I was able to see the actual inscription, unlike this listing). The first item also had an inscription in Quenya in tengwar with roman transcription. Both had features that could not have been known in the 1960s except by Tolkien and his close circle; but that could be known by a (much later) reader of Vinyar Tengwar and Parma Eldalamberon (or by an attentive researcher of the various sites that rifle through each VT and PE and put their contents online).

I asked Christopher about this, and he firmly denied that it was his handwriting, or that he knew any such "Pearl".

Carl

So do we think deliberate fakery or simply that the inscription relates to a completely different "Chris" (and bookseller wishful thinking is involved)?

If it's not Christopher Tolkien, then yes, deliberate fakery (given the year 1968 stated in the inscription of the first such item I saw), unless there is some other "Chris" who had close access to J.R.R. Tolkien and his languages in 1968.

Aelfwine wrote:
If it's not Christopher Tolkien, then yes, deliberate fakery (given the year 1968 stated in the inscription of the first such item I saw), unless there is some other "Chris" who had close access to J.R.R. Tolkien and his languages in 1968.

Yep, makes sense. The 1968 is the killer, I guess.

Hi all,
I showed the book to Catherine McIlwaine last week when she looked at my archive,,she looked closely at the inscription and for her it is definitely Christopher's calligraphy and signature in those years.
I bought the book because I know Oxford's St. Philip's Books very well, a well-known Catholic bookstore. From them I bought other books including an edition of the Letters of John Henry Newman with a dedication and signature of Father Francis Xavier Morgan.

Is it likely that Christopher simply does not remember?

In the end it doesn't really matter to me, I paid the book a very reasonable amount and I don't intend to sell it (I buy but I don't sell!). I will keep it on the shelf of signed books.

P.S.
The book now on sale was proposed to me by them when I went to Oxford last year. But I decided not to buy it because one was enough for me.
The fourth photo is of the book for sale.
Tolkieniano

Tolkieniano wrote:
Hi all,
I showed the book to Catherine McIlwaine last week when she looked at my archive,,she looked closely at the inscription and for her it is definitely Christopher's calligraphy and signature in those years.
I bought the book because I know Oxford's St. Philip's Books very well, a well-known Catholic bookstore. From them I bought other books including an edition of the Letters of John Henry Newman with a dedication and signature of Father Francis Xavier Morgan.

Is it likely that Christopher simply does not remember?

In the end it doesn't really matter to me, I paid the book a very reasonable amount and I don't intend to sell it (I buy but I don't sell!). I will keep it on the shelf of signed books.

P.S.
The book now on sale was proposed to me by them when I went to Oxford last year. But I decided not to buy it because one was enough for me.
The fourth photo is of the book for sale.
Tolkieniano

Did you get any indication of who Pearl might have been?

Unfortunately I didn't find anything, and Catherine had no idea who it was. Is it possible that it was a nickname?