Stu wrote:

I saw these first appear a year or more after it came out. Someone posted a pic on Reddit (IIRC) and I queried them for more info. I don't believe it is a second state, so much as a mislabelled second printing. I suspect that when they did the second print run they didn't change the "1" to a "2", either deliberately (in order to pretend the first print didn't happen) or accidentally as has happened with some of the first Chinese reprints of Euro-printed editions that have retained a "1".

Thanks for this background. It’s like one needs to get the first impression with a later slipcase for an as-near-to-perfect set. ?

Caudimordax wrote:

It's on my list of "buy it if you see a great price", but I probably won't seek it out the way I've done others in my collection. Truth be told, I actually rather like the trade hardback.

While I'd never pay for it, there exists a very nice 1st printing trade HC with a custom leather slipcase on Etsy which looks sharp. Could be a nice project to hone my rudimentary bookbinding skills one day!

I'd love to have a few custom-made slipcases:
- one would be large enough to hold: The Hobbit 70th anniversary hardback, The Lord of the Rings as 3 parts from the boxed set w/ the Companion, The Silmarillion '06 hardback, and Unfinished Tales '06 hardback.
- the other would be large enough to hold The History of Middle-earth (the 3-book edition) WITH The History of The Hobbit '11 revised and expanded edition.

Of those, if I could only choose one, it'd probably be the HoM-e box, as I've seen a few nice custom ones. The one provided by the publisher literally has no information on it: all it has is "JRRT" on two panels, with a blank third panel. I like it when the boxes have the titles on them.

Urulókë wrote:

Stu wrote:

Has anyone ordered the Tolkien Calendar 2021? I feel like it might be the best format to enjoy the illustrations (or a subset thereof)?

Funny you should ask! I ordered myself a copy after I got my hands on the book itself, because I had the exact same thought. I have it in hand, but haven't gone through it yet. More soon.

I've closely gone through the calendar now, and I really do think it is fantastic. Much larger size (of course) compared to the book, and the paper is brilliant white so the artwork really pops against it, and the pages are a very thick card stock as well. Definitely worth a purchase if you like the UT illustrated edition. It of course only has about 60% of the artwork reproduced in it from the book.

Urulókë wrote:

Urulókë wrote:

Stu wrote:

Has anyone ordered the Tolkien Calendar 2021? I feel like it might be the best format to enjoy the illustrations (or a subset thereof)?

Funny you should ask! I ordered myself a copy after I got my hands on the book itself, because I had the exact same thought. I have it in hand, but haven't gone through it yet. More soon.

I've closely gone through the calendar now, and I really do think it is fantastic. Much larger size (of course) compared to the book, and the paper is brilliant white so the artwork really pops against it, and the pages are a very thick card stock as well. Definitely worth a purchase if you like the UT illustrated edition. It of course only has about 60% of the artwork reproduced in it from the book.

Awesome - thanks for the review - I'll order myself one!

Don't forget folks that there are pictures posted in the 2021 Calendar thread.

onthetrail wrote:

Don't forget folks that there are pictures posted in the 2021 Calendar thread.

Thanks for pointing that out. I think the Calendar is a better format for these images, even if we can't get them all. Hopefully a reprint of the standard edition will - at some point - improve the fidelity of the whole set (not like me to buy a reprint, but I would in this case).

Did everyone get a chance to watch the Waterstone's event where Brian Sibley interviews the 3 artists about the book and 2021 calendar? If not yet, you can watch it here.

Urulókë -- do we think it is maybe time to lock this thread as being "done"?

Sorry to bump this thread, when there was a suggestion to lock it. Took a quick look through, so it's possible I missed it; but can someone post a pic of the back of the slipcase? Got pics showing both sides of it, and from the front but can't recall seeing anything from the back/spine of the slipcase.

I'm curious how this edition would look displayed with that side out.

Here ya go.