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12 Dec, 2023
2023-12-12 11:20:17 AM UTC

Bergelmir wrote:

I knew it, I know your collection but every time I see it... Gorgeous !

Merci cher ami !
15 January (edited)
2024-1-15 12:42:21 PM UTC
Dear All,

New acquisitions of the lasts months :

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- An Edition of Þe Liflade ant te Passiun of Seinte Iuliene : the very rare first edition of 1936 (Bibliothèque de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres de l’Université de Liège). The story behind the publication and composition of this one is fascinating.

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According to https://tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=106 :
The book is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien is also acknowledged by d’Ardenne in the prefatory note: “I am deeply indebted for assistance from the beginning of my work on this text, and especially during the revision of the glossary and grammar.”
D’Ardenne admitted privately that Tolkien should have been credited as a joint editor. It was published solely under d’Ardenne’s name as a thesis that enabled her to be elected as a professor at the University of Liége.


According to Hammond (The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and guide - Chronology, 2017) :
Page 196 :
Librairie E. Droz of Paris will publish it under d'Ardenne's name only, to satisfy requirements of her degree at Liège; but for this, the book would appear as a joint work by d'Ardenne and Tolkien. Simonne d'Ardenne herself privately refers to it as a joint effort, and some of Tolkien's colleagues will recognize his contribution. The Seinte Iulienne probably contains more of his views on early Middle English than anything he will publish under his own name.
Also, page 198 :
E.V. Gordon says in a letter of 3 June 1936, "he has read the edition of Seinte Iulienne, and is 'grieved that your [Tolkien] name is not attached to it, because...practically all that is especially valuable in it is recognisably yours. There is really no other piece of Middle English editing to touch it. And the financial interest in it is really not sufficient reward or return for the wealth of new material you have given'. (Tolkien Papers, Bodleian Library, Oxford).

Many references to Tolkien works are made in the text and notes. Tolkien was appointed supervisor of Simonne Rosalie Thérèse Odile d'Ardenne in Feb 1932 (Hammond, op.cit, page 174)

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- The Lord of the Rings, First UK box set, first state 1956-57

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- The Hobbit, Houghton Mifflin, 1959. This one is in very good condition, and I'm happy to bring some progress to my US Hobbit collection

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- The Hobbit, Georges Allen and Unwin, 17th impression (1967) with an amazing 'as new' dust jacket.

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- The Hobbit, Georges Allen and Unwin, 4th edition, 5th impression 1985 ; one of the very last books printed under the Georges Allen and Unwin inprint, the (true) latest to my knowledge being the first impression of the Shaping of Middle-earth (1986) (as the 2nd impression might be an hybrid GA&U/Guild edition edition, and that any 3rd impressions have been seen)

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- The Two Towers, Houghton Mifflin, 1957, rare 5th impression second state, with a lighter blue binding. (Have added a picture of a 3rd impression, var. B in comparison, to help appreciating the different shades of blue. Also added a picture alongside my 7th impression of the Fellowship of the Ring, which is also bound in a light blue binding variant.

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- The Saga of King Heidrek the wise, edited by Christopher Tolkien, Thomas Nelson and Sons ltd., 1960 : was looking for this one for a long time, managed to grab (at last !) a copy in very good shape

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- A copy of the Tolkien Journal, Volume III, n°1

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- The Hobbit, Collins Readers / Cascades Edition 1993 : this one should be a 6th impression of the '93 cascade edition, as detailed on https://tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=183 . However, my copy is a 14th impression (according to the number line)

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- A copy of a book of theology, study of a medieval text, The myth of the Aumbry, London, Burn and Oates, 1957. This one is interesting as it belonged to Father John Francis Tolkien, eldest son of J.R.R. Tolkien, with his name and inscriptions on the title page. I also found some reminder list written by him (with easily recognizable writing by comparison).

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- A lot of books in french, anthologies of the great XIXth century french authors Stendhal, Hugo, Flaubert, Maupassant. All belonged to Michael Hilary Reuel Tolkien, second son of J.R.R. Tolkien, and bear his bookplate, with fine signatures and monograms. I now have the signatures of all Tolkien's children. This is also very special to me, as a french, I mean having books by french authors in french, which belonged to Tolkien's son. Especially, the works of Maupassant, who's born like me in Normandy, in which many tales take place in some small villages nearby, including the one where I spent my childhoood. Pretty nice ellipsis for me

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- I managed to grab also some more material from the John Howe Exhibition at Landerneau, Brittany, even if I couldn't attend in person. Including the catalogs in both french and english, small booklets about the exhibition (in both french and english), a poster of the exhibition signed by John Howe, and a poster of nice painting by John, exclusive to this exhibition and printed by the Fonds Hélène and Edouard Leclerc.

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- And last, but not least, the catalog of the exhibition Tolkien, Uomo, autore, professore (Skira, 2023), holding in Roma at the moment. The book is very well made, photographs and document are very well reproduced. The book is really informative and a must have, even if only in italian.

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15 January
2024-1-15 1:19:41 PM UTC
very nice haul Emilien.....excellent
15 January
2024-1-15 2:51:17 PM UTC
Love the 1st state boxset, looking for one myself.
15 January
2024-1-15 3:59:36 PM UTC
Beautiful items Emilien, congratulations!
Those Hobbit DJs appear to be in wonderful condition. I also like The Saga by CT, I'm looking for a copy too.
15 January
2024-1-15 4:19:14 PM UTC
Complètement dingue
15 January
2024-1-15 9:47:18 PM UTC
Fantastic acquisitions!
15 January
2024-1-15 10:41:06 PM UTC
Thank you guys !
15 January
2024-1-15 11:18:28 PM UTC
What's the "Happy Birthday J.R.R. Tolkien" book/'zine, if I may ask?
16 January
2024-1-16 4:31:42 AM UTC

DMRoberts wrote:

What's the "Happy Birthday J.R.R. Tolkien" book/'zine, if I may ask?

It's an issue of the Tolkien Journal (from 1967):

https://dc.swosu.edu/tolkien_journal/vol3/iss1/
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