Hi Garm - it was a mail from FS.

Berelach wrote:

This was the first hardcover Tolkien release I passed on in the last five years. I could have afforded it (just barely) but I was conflicted and eventually decided against it. I couldn't justify spending £1k on three books when that much money could make a difference to those in need. My opinion (I hope and assume) doesn't mean anything to anyone here as I'm not really a part of this wonderful community, but I wanted to comment because I really like this site and hope to stay at least minimally in touch. A few years ago I would have bought this immediately, sight unseen. Different strokes for different folks is all.

Totally understand the decision to not purchase the set, but there are few who are a bigger part of this community than you Berelach. I use your site almost every day.

Have to agree with Mr Underhill about your website, both tolkienbooks.net and tolkienbooks.us are both indispensable sites, thanks to Berelach and Deagol for these excellent resources.

Thought I would post a picture of the copyright page, does not identify the printer but we know from the FS that it is printed in Italy and also the reference to HMH and not just HarperCollins is surprising.

Stu wrote:

Rohan wrote:

Thank you for journeying through Middle-earth with our new limited edition of J. R. R. Tolkien’s masterpiece. You are one of only 1,000 people who can own Folio’s The Lord of the Rings signed by Alan Lee. No more will ever be made.

Sounds like a commitment from the FS despite it being a huge money-spinner in such a short timeframe.

Commitment to not produce any more copies of this exact edition, but that was a given. I think further editions containing the same material are also a given in due course. Whether those are limited or trade editions is anyone’s guess. I’d love to see the same content in an aesthetically less divisive trade version.

Yes it would be a shame to limit such a sumptuous edition to only 1,025 copies.

Trotter wrote:

Thought I would post a picture of the copyright page, does not identify the printer but we know from the FS that it is printed in Italy and also the reference to HMH and not just HarperCollins is surprising.

Interesting to see as we were just chatting about where, and from whom FS got their typescript. This raises more questions than answers...

Berelach wrote:

This was the first hardcover Tolkien release I passed on in the last five years. I could have afforded it (just barely) but I was conflicted and eventually decided against it. I couldn't justify spending £1k on three books when that much money could make a difference to those in need. My opinion (I hope and assume) doesn't mean anything to anyone here as I'm not really a part of this wonderful community, but I wanted to comment because I really like this site and hope to stay at least minimally in touch. A few years ago I would have bought this immediately, sight unseen. Different strokes for different folks is all.

I totally respect your perspective, and I am starting to find the way Tolkien collecting has gone to be a bit ‘on the nose’.

I think the reality, though, with these expensive editions (old or new) is that the funds are not being split between a choice of ‘Help someone else’ vs ‘Buy a book’, they are being used as a store of value (which also hopefully brings the buyer some pleasure). So you could probably say ‘I could put money aside for retirement (or some other future life goal - buying a house or such)’ or ‘I could help someone else’.

The reality for most people in the market for these kinds of things is that they probably need to be doing both. No one wants to end up being a burden on others when they are old, but also people need to recognise that to even be in the market for this stuff is a place of privilege.

That said, I have mixed feelings about the culture of ‘acquire everything irrespective of price’. It makes me quite uncomfortable. As another member said to me recently, ‘There is something about the Tolkien book market that is quite distasteful’. I don’t disagree with that, but I also realise the situation is a bit nuanced.

You have done a lot for the community, and I hope you will remain part of it.

I also hope the current unhealthy trends in collecting reverse at some point. A return to ‘collect for fun’ rather than collect to hoard will be most welcome, but we live in uncertain times.

Trotter wrote:

Have to agree with Mr Underhill about your website, both tolkienbooks.net and tolkienbooks.us are both indispensable sites, thanks to Berelach and Deagol for these excellent resources.

Thought I would post a picture of the copyright page, does not identify the printer but we know from the FS that it is printed in Italy and also the reference to HMH and not just HarperCollins is surprising.

It was printed by LEGO, as stated on the limitation page.

Trotter wrote:

Have to agree with Mr Underhill about your website, both tolkienbooks.net and tolkienbooks.us are both indispensable sites, thanks to Berelach and Deagol for these excellent resources.

could not agree more with Mr.Underhill and Trotter.

Rohan wrote:

Hi Garm - it was a mail from FS.

Oh, yes. I missed that. Thanks.

I may have missed a posting with an image of the signature page, so here is mine numbered 354…