I'll try to pull together some trend reports from data I have easily at hand, as well. I think it will be useful.

Khamûl wrote:

I still think there are some oddities right now which clearly point to fads in collecting. The first edition of Smith, for example, seems to attract very little attention. I see copies of the first impression all the time going seemingly unsold; and the prices being asked are about the same as 20 years ago. Family Album used to be niche collectable & rather (in my mind) overpriced. Now... doesn't seem to attract discussion or attention. I'm sure there are others.

I hereby predict that Smith and Family Album are now going to start trending upward in price/bidding wars, and it is all your fault.

Urulókë wrote:

I'll try to pull together some trend reports from data I have easily at hand, as well. I think it will be useful.

Khamûl wrote:

I still think there are some oddities right now which clearly point to fads in collecting. The first edition of Smith, for example, seems to attract very little attention. I see copies of the first impression all the time going seemingly unsold; and the prices being asked are about the same as 20 years ago. Family Album used to be niche collectable & rather (in my mind) overpriced. Now... doesn't seem to attract discussion or attention. I'm sure there are others.

I hereby predict that Smith and Family Album are now going to start trending upward in price/bidding wars, and it is all your fault.

Khamûl has the world supply of these hidden, clearly insider trading and market manipulation

I've definitely noticed SoWM as being very cheaply available and having no obvious collector interest. I can't say I had ever noticed the Family Album as being expensive at any point, though perhaps I was not paying attention early enough. My copy from Australia with a review slip was $3 (https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/n ... _id=12234#forumpost12234) about 8 years ago, but I seem to recall seeing a few copies afterwards, always in the £10 kind of price-point (i.e. nothing out of the ordinary for a clean used book).

I think your review slip copy definitely was a "lucky find". ?

In general, I've seen them selling in the $10-$50 range. A quick peek at eBay recently sold items shows:

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A Tolkien Family Album by Priscilla Tolkien and J. R. R. Tolkien (1992,...

124548983788

Seller: noyz33

(1097)

Ended Apr 28, 2021

This item ended more than 90 days ago

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The (J.R.R.) Tolkien Family Album HC '92 1st Ed H/Mifflin Ballantine Estate File

164766523442

Seller: xmilo

(263)

Ended Mar 20, 2021

This item ended more than 90 days ago

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The Tolkien Family Album, 1992

265048982111

Seller: clancy41rove

(70)

Ended Feb 18, 2021

This item ended more than 90 days ago

Fwiw, from what I've seen I've noticed a definite rise in price for the Family Album (US & UK), and had been wondering about it. I used to see them not too infrequently for ~£10, but the last year or two I've only seen them listed around £30-35.

I think it can happen easily, for whatever reasons, where people see totally different things... a friend mentioned to me a couple months ago that he was surprised that he always saw the Ace LotR copies of FotR and RotK pop up but would never see TTT. For my part I saw more TTT than the other two combined.

onthetrail wrote:

Urulókë wrote:

I'll try to pull together some trend reports from data I have easily at hand, as well. I think it will be useful.

Khamûl wrote:

I still think there are some oddities right now which clearly point to fads in collecting. The first edition of Smith, for example, seems to attract very little attention. I see copies of the first impression all the time going seemingly unsold; and the prices being asked are about the same as 20 years ago. Family Album used to be niche collectable & rather (in my mind) overpriced. Now... doesn't seem to attract discussion or attention. I'm sure there are others.

I hereby predict that Smith and Family Album are now going to start trending upward in price/bidding wars, and it is all your fault.

Khamûl has the world supply of these hidden, clearly insider trading and market manipulation

I think we all know what title I'd be talking up if I had a notion to sell! ;)

Stu: thank you so for your perspective! I appreciate you taking the time for your reply.

Regarding the Family Album, I got it used some months ago from Amazon for $20. I honestly was surprised it was so cheap, so I didn't think it twice!

I have the FoA and S&G remarqued by Bill Anderson. This might be of interest to anyone into that kind of thing.

https://www.analectabooks.com/store/p2 ... qued_limited_1st_edn.html

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J.R.R. TOLKIEN THE LORD OF THE RINGS 2014 60th ANNIVERSARY 4 BOOK SET IN SLIPCAS

224450531753

Seller: ussfcarwol

(1342)

Ended May 12, 2021

This item ended more than 90 days ago

For Australians and neighbors (shipping would be high for elsewhere): first printings of the 60th Anniversary set, something you (or at least I) don't see too often.