onthetrail wrote:

Stu wrote:

Khamûl wrote:

S prices have risen noticeably over the last year. Paying a pile for a really smart copy doesn't matter much (I suppose) if you're happy & it's the only copy you're buying. But people are buying really ordinary copies for silly money. It just makes the collecting look careless. If indeed these buyers are collecting. If this is just for a nice reading copy, buy away...

I'd love to survey some of the buyers and understand why they are buying and why they think the price they are paying makes sense (given last year they clearly didn't have any interest or they would have bought one or more then).

Question 1: Why did you buy?

A: It is currently hip.

Question 2: Why did you buy for such a high price?

A: It is currently hip.

Where is the Tolkien frenzy coming from -- is it primarily being driven on FaceBoook?

Why, from the impending publication of The Nature of Middle-earth, of course!

Stu wrote:

onthetrail wrote:

Stu wrote:

Khamûl wrote:

S prices have risen noticeably over the last year. Paying a pile for a really smart copy doesn't matter much (I suppose) if you're happy & it's the only copy you're buying. But people are buying really ordinary copies for silly money. It just makes the collecting look careless. If indeed these buyers are collecting. If this is just for a nice reading copy, buy away...

I'd love to survey some of the buyers and understand why they are buying and why they think the price they are paying makes sense (given last year they clearly didn't have any interest or they would have bought one or more then).

Question 1: Why did you buy?

A: It is currently hip.

Question 2: Why did you buy for such a high price?

A: It is currently hip.

Where is the Tolkien frenzy coming from -- is it primarily being driven on FaceBoook?

I think part of it is the Amazon series and the buzz that brings. Getting in on the ground floor so to speak. There was certainly an upturn in questions about collecting Tolkien around the time of that news.

I may be reading too much into this but I noticed on Reddit that around the time that Tolkien was brought into the whole 'cancel culture' thing there appeared to be an upshift in interest in him over there. Much like with the recent Dr. Seuss news, suddenly people wanted those books. I wonder if people jump on the bandwagon. But again, maybe I'm reading too much into that.

Aelfwine wrote:

Why, from the impending publication of The Nature of Middle-earth, of course!

That's it right there ?

It all seemed to ramp up when this site won the TS award... ?

I think Aelfwine’s book is more likely, though.

And Amazon.

And collecting in general (art, books, NFTs, comics, stamps, etc.) have all seemed to get hot the past year or two. People diversifying from stocks, which starts a price rise, which starts a trend for people to jump on? Who knows.

Aelfwine wrote:

Why, from the impending publication of The Nature of Middle-earth, of course!

So it is all your fault!!!!!!

Stu wrote:

Aelfwine wrote:

Why, from the impending publication of The Nature of Middle-earth, of course!

So it is all your fault!!!!!!

And Jeremy ?

Stu wrote:

I'd love to survey some of the buyers and understand why they are buying and why they think the price they are paying makes sense (given last year they clearly didn't have any interest or they would have bought one or more then).

I started collecting seriously at the end of last year (and no, it has nothing to do with the Amazon series).

I've been a huge Tolkien fan for almost 20 years, I even studied philology due to his influence. It was very hard/expensive to buy his books (in English) where I lived (and being a student made it even harder!), but I still tried my best and purchased some.

However, recently I've been able to finally afford more books , plus living in the US makes it much easier. My limit per book is still $100 though, but I do what I can .

It’s going back to how it was when the Jackson movies were released. Back then a set of HOME firsts would command absurd prices upwards of £7,000. Many sellers are still looking for that crazy sort of money. The bubble will burst, eventually.

What if the new Amazon series is a dud? This is a distinct possibility. Will that push prices back down?

You got examples like this auction:

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First Edition The Silmarillion Tolkien 1977 George Allen & Unwin Map

114772971959

Seller: raela1

(1540)

Ended Apr 26, 2021

This item ended more than 90 days ago

Two bidders trading bids with the final high price of £62. The seller has literally said nothing about the book and has let the photographs speak for condition/edition, etc. It's unclear if this is first state Billing copy (if the bidders care); we don't know what that jacket spine looks like (conveniently not photographed); and the copy has a large P.O. signature (not what everone likes to see in their copy). Sure, it looks nice, but it's... just another Billing copy. And last year this really was just another £10-15 eBay item.