rosshm16 wrote:

My question is: in every photo and review video I see of this book, the binding and slipcase color looks like an orange-tinted red or maybe a brownish-red, but definitely overall red. My book and its slipcase are both very definitely brown, I see no hint of red. The color of the ribbon also very much matches the color of the case and the binding, no red there other.

I don't mind the brown, it looks fine and the book is in good shape. Just curious if this is a known issue, e.g. were the earlier printings of the deluxe Kullervo a different color or from a different printer or anything like that? Or are my eyes just deceiving me in every photo and video I've seen of this book?

At least my copy does not smell bad like the poor poster earlier in this thread, haha.

This is not a manufacturing issue. Before the current printing, these were all in the reddish color you have seen in the stock images. The latest printing is now the tannish brown you received. I presume that will be the color going forward. This issue was first raised, that I saw, back in June or July, on the Tolkien collectors Facebook group. I was planning to get one of these but hadn’t yet and wanted the red color (just personal preference- I liked the more colorful version). I scrambled to try to get one of the older printings before all the stock had been replaced but received one of the tan brown ones. I returned it and bought an as-new condition red one off eBay. Actually cost about the same. I don’t think most secondary market sellers have realized there might be a higher premium on the red ones yet (other than 1st printing collectors, which the copy I bought was not)