It is also possible to get the hard-to-find 1992 HC Unfinished Tales that matches UK HoME rather well (apart from the JRRT on the spine)...


Stu

Stu, you appear to have the greatest collection of all time. Those volumes are gleaming with brilliance. I can almost hear thier Holy aura. What a treasure!... I am truly envious.

Is there a mylar coating on them or something?

I have to admit that I am blown away by the vastness of the collective knowledge of those on this site. Wow!

The Rookie is floored.

Eric

Eric, I wish I did have the greatest collection, but I suspect mine is actually one of the smallest of those who frequent this site (just a couple of hundred books and a couple of dozen calendars). It has still taken me a good while to acquire, mind, and I have no real desire to (greatly) increase the size of it, especially in the current economic climate.

The books pictured are indeed in Mylar DJ protectors which make them look a bit more shiny (but provide good protection from fingers and UV). UK HoME are quite prone to getting a scuffed matte finish, but I am quite lucky that most of my copies were ordered in from the same bookshop and therefore didn't get any shelf-wear pre-purchase, so they are actually relatively glossy even without the protectors. They do look nice on the shelf, and I can often be found looking at them lovingly (to my fiancee's great amusement).

On the subject of DJ fading, one of my copies of SD has very mild fading, but the other copy has always been behind glass and never in direct sunlight and is still completely uniform. None of the other books (including WOJ) have any fading. The only real aging I have noticed is toning to the page edges on WOJ and Peoples. These seem to have been printed on much poorer quality paper than the other books.

Stu

It is also possible to get the hard-to-find 1992 HC Unfinished Tales that matches UK HoME rather well (apart from the JRRT on the spine)...


Stu

I find this book impossible to get hold of. In fact I think they only printed 5 copies to tease collectors like me

I also can't lovingly look at my HOME's any more as I took Khamul's advice and turned them round so the spines are inwards. but it is a good idea, I have a 1st/4th BOLT1 and the spine has gone a horrible purple shade because of sun-damage, I really do not want this to happen to my main set.

>I find this book impossible to get hold of. In fact I think they only printed 5 copies to tease collectors like me

It's was the hardest book to find in my collection. It becamse a kind of holy grail, as it took me several years to find a copy. If I hadn't seen a picture of it, I wouldn't have believed it existed! When I did find it, I was lucky enough to get an unread copy in near perfect condition. It cost 40 pounds, which was seemed fair given its rarity. I would love to know how many copies were printed.

I have a 1st/4th BOLT1 and the spine has gone a horrible purple shade because of sun-damage, I really do not want this to happen to my main set.

I have only seen spine fading on later printings of the 1st of BoLT 1, never on the 1st/1st. Certainlty the 3rd printing(s) start off as a much more blue colour than the fairly black 1st printing, and I suspect these later ones use a less stable dye. I would just go with a good quality jacket protector that protects against UV and keep them out of direct sunlight (behind glass if possible). Mine have been on show for the last 5 years in this manner with no noticeable fading. Not much point in having them just to look at the page edges! :)

Stu

I've got a few books now, where do I get these covers and what sizes should I buy.

Thanks,

Eric the Red

...also can't lovingly look at my HOME's any more as I took Khamul's advice and turned them round so the spines are inwards. -Trotter

O dear! I hope I've not made you too unhappy Trotter!? Personally I don't think I could bare the thought of having any of my books literally de-valuing (or rather deteriorating in condition) as they sat on my shelf. Eventually they will be brought forth in all their glory; but until then, and since I have to double up my books in any case!, they can sit behind other less important books.

Having said that, the habit (of turning books around or hiding them behind others) is perhaps driven by my Silmarillion collecting; where there is (perhaps with other books there is not so much!) a real danger of spine fading were they all on open display.

BH

>I find this book impossible to get hold of. In fact I think they only printed 5 copies to tease collectors like me

>It's was the hardest book to find in my collection. It becamse a kind of holy grail, as it took me several years to find a copy. If I hadn't seen a picture of it, I wouldn't have believed it existed! When I did find it, I was lucky enough to get an unread copy in near perfect condition. It cost 40 pounds, which was seemed fair given its rarity. I would love to know how many copies were printed.

They do exist, I have just got a copy from eBay, wish it only cost £40 though

Does anyone know how many of this edition was printed?

129 Pounds. Yikes!

Still, at least you have acquired it! I suspect it is by far the least common volume in the UK HoME style of cover.

Stu

Pricey indeed. I was in on the bidding too! But, too rich for me at present. There have definitely (altho' not many) been a couple come up on eBay over the years, and I'm pretty sure they were in the Stu range (<£100 anyway); hopefully a copy can be obtained for less than three figures. Thinking of selling Stu?

BH