Does anyone (maybe Beren) have information regarding whether this will be available to U.S customers right out of the gate, or will I have to wait several months as was the case with the signed deluxe CoH?

On another note, I understand what people are saying with regard to HC not providing the best customer experience. I have had numerous emails ignored and have not always been pleased with them myself. It does indeed make sense to wait for deep discounts (30-40% off) and then purchase one copy for yourself. However, I must admit that I am a sucker, and I will likely purchase my copy for full price when it is released. After all, I will make up for spending the extra cash with the profit from selling one of my spare copies of the signed deluxe Children of Hurin!

I agree with much of what has been said; but this subject seems to strike at the very heart of what collecting is for many collectors -in this case collectors of Tolkien.

I guess HarperCollins believe (and rightly so) that there must be collectors of Modern First Editions (and Modern 20th century authors generally) who would wish to acquire a Super De Luxe signed book like CoH. But surprisingly, the market for this kind of book looks extremely small judging by the reasonable difficulty they have had shifting 500 copies over a period of nearly two years now.

Sales have been driven (because of the method of distribution) by collectors, and not the book trade itself. In a way it has been (I guess) an educational process for the publishers, as they have been given a clear indication of what actual demand there is for these types of books. Let's hope lessons have been learnt and the print run, for this undoubtedly less mass appealing title, is lower.

Having said all this, it's interesting quite how many collectors bought multiple copies of CoH. I didn't, but that's only because I did not have the money to do so. You can't get away from the fundamental fact that money (price, value, trade, resale etc) plays a central role in collecting: whether it's searching for value for money; finding that rare book at a car boot sale for pennies (getting that 'bargain'); owning a book that cost money; having a book few others have etcetera.

I disagree with the thinking that says if you don't care about resale & value, then you should not care about what number you receive. Why? I have no intention of selling any book anytime soon. But the number is of interest and appeal; and the thought of resale value is of interest also. Book collectors love the idea that they bought a book for blah amount of money, and now it's worth double that. It's just that little bit more expensive to care about these kind of details.

Another point that Rowns raises (or at least alludes to) is: why not just ignore the initial clamour, and pick up a copy at a later date; either discounted, or even on the second hand market. It won't cost you any more money.

I can't imagine the 1998 De Luxe Silmarillion sold terribly quickly; maybe someone can correct me on that. But now, regardless of demand, you cannot pick up a copy for less that ~£400. This seems (to me) inflated. But it hardly stops the trade listing the books at this price.

Having said all this, for all the trumpeting about buying multiple copies and not buying for resale: all of us have bought a book that we have no intention of physically reading. So we're all nuts!...

BH

Khamul said

all of us have bought a book that we have no intention of physically reading. So we're all nuts!...

Can't agree more! And I love being nuts. Well, at least "Tolkien nuts". Those people who collect other books really are nuts.

Khamul also said

Another point that Rowns raises (or at least alludes to) is: why not just ignore the initial clamour, and pick up a copy at a later date; either discounted, or even on the second hand market. It won't cost you any more money.

For this, I would like to clarify that I am specifically talking about S&G if it is released at 500 copies. And, to be completely honest, even S&G will be selling on the second hand market at a premium (i.e. above list price) somewhere down the road - it will be a stunning book as far as construction, the content will be good, and it will be signed by a highly desirable author - it just may take a few (or many) years to find 501 people who want to own one long term. Plus a few will be lost to damage or postal gremlins.

Well, the Super Deluxe Sigurd is now shown as available for sale. Too bad the website is rejecting me due to:

"Sorry, the following products are not available to be bought from and/or shipped to the country you have specified"

I really was under the impression that this was to be made available to the US right away. I am not sure why I thought that, but it looks like I will have to wait to get one. I am hoping that it is simply because I have to wait until I receive my 'go ahead' email from HC before it will allow me to purchase, but somehow I doubt it. Once again, another great Harper Collins website experience!

Here is why I was under that impression:

From the Harper Collins Update thread.....

(Rowns)

David Brawn has gotten back to me with some answers to questions I asked (mostly based on questions posed here in the forums or in private emails to me). I thought I would summarize here as well as tracking down all the threads and posting snippets all over the forums.

Sigurd and Gudrun Super Deluxe will be available to ship to the USA at the same time as the rest of the world, now that HC and Houghton Mifflin have an arrangement in place. Only the Super Deluxe editions are covered, though, so other titles/specials from tolkien.co.uk are still not allowed to ship to the USA.

I think a "Sigh" is in order :)

Stu

I am told that this was an error, and will be fixed in the overnight (UK time) update of their territory database for the website. Try again this evening (USA time) and it should work! (Fingers crossed here and at HC as well).

Thanks for the info, Jeremy. The website was still rejecting me about an hour ago, but I just gave it one last shot before bedtime, and it worked! Too bad I will not get a nice low number, but I guess that is not terribly important.

Too bad I will not get a nice low number, but I guess that is not terribly important.

I wouldn't be too sure - It really depends on how popular it has been. I'm not certain that they even sent out the emails to those who pre-registered interest stating the book was actually available (I know I didn't get one). If they didn't, there may not have been that many purchases so far, anyway.

Of course, they may have started taking phone orders the day before when they definitely did send out an email stating it was just a day away (and provided a phone number), in which case a few might have been sold before the official release and that would push the numbers up a bit.

I'd actually quite like to be wrong, but I can't imagine there has been a great stampede of buyers. Even CoH took a couple of days to get into triple figures and I would have thought that this would be less popular (although it is a more sensible price, and content-wise is IMHO a (surprisingly) more interesting book, so who knows..?).

Stu

Stu, I agree with your assessment. I don't think that it will be too high. I am guessing anywhere from 30 to 50.

What I would love to happen, is for all the avid collectors to get their copies, and then HC announce that they decided to cut production to 250, instead of 500 copies.