After seeing the video, there are no apparent quality issues with mine.

I have been reading some of the Facebook group posts and watching the videos…fortunately I have found no quality control issues with my deluxe History of the Hobbit.

However, I would agree that the paper quality is lacking. But it is not horrible in my opinion.

The most surprising thing was that Amazon UK packaged the book well for shipping.

I agree, I measured the paper in this book vs Unwin 50's single volumes LoTR and its definitely not thinner. I love that paper

90's Peoples of Middle Earth HoME was [ADMIN: original wording changed to "really bad" ?] by comparison

LanceFormation wrote:

I have been reading some of the Facebook group posts and watching the videos…fortunately I have found no quality control issues with my deluxe History of the Hobbit.

However, I would agree that the paper quality is lacking. But it is not horrible in my opinion.

The most surprising thing was that Amazon UK packaged the book well for shipping.

My deluxe copy arrived today and despite a battered and wet shipping mailer the book has zero QC issues in relation to the printing.

Has the same "issues" everyone else has noted about paper quality or board thickness/material, snugness of the slipcase, etc. but those are all "as designed" and not a QC problem.

Edit: Forgot to mention, and I haven't seen it posted it is shorter than most of the other Deluxe line, though it's the same exact height as Fall of Númenor probably due to the thinner/lighter materials used to make the slipcase compared to other books in the line (especially the early L.E.G.O. printed books).

The History of the Hobbit arrived the 25th from Blackwell’s in a lightly mangled outer box, the inner was fine. The book took a bit to extract from the slip-case but the stamping was clear & complete.

The 1st page of the Introduction a ‘misty’ T in Tolkien jumped out, p xi. The only such misprint in the first section I found after a casual page turner.
The verso had an odd, irregular ‘stain’ running down the page, that did not transfer to xii. Less was repeated & lighter on xviii , very little on xxiv, & none on xxx.

The last 50+ pages carries the imprint (clearest at the end) of a clamp or press in the paperback quality paper. It’s ‘thumb print’ is noticeable further than that. Not the quality for the cost in this edition.

Arbor wrote:

The last 50+ pages carries the imprint (clearest at the end) of a clamp or press in the paperback quality paper. It’s ‘thumb print’ is noticeable further than that. Not the quality for the cost in this edition.

I’d return that copy for an exchange, that’s unacceptable

Chatting with Blackwell's now.

Refund. I'll try on Amzuk but it is rolling the dice.