rosshm16 wrote:

The deluxe edition (9780008601409) I ordered recently on AbeBooks arrived today. It was new and is still a first printing. I didn't notice any obvious printing errors but also didn't flip through each page yet.

It is huge. The spine is much thicker than the ~1200-page deluxe 2004 Lord of the Rings. Really feels like they should have done two volumes or used India paper or something here.

The slipcase was the tightest I've ever owned. The sides of it bow out a bit when the book is inserted. I had to tip it and give it several vigorous two-handed shakes to get the book out. It would not have been possible to get it out by pinching and pulling the spine without damaging it.

Sounds right for this edition. Mine isn't quite that bad (it doesn't bow), but I have no doubt it would not be possible to put it back in if read. Honestly, I'm still quite salty about this edition as I think the publisher really pushed things calling this "deluxe". It is a trade edition (essentially identical) without the jacket in a slipcase that doesn't fit. Mine did have some ink splodges, so got refunded and I decided not to replace, given the price and lack-of-quality.

The late Stu wrote:

Sounds right for this edition. Mine isn't quite that bad (it doesn't bow), but I have no doubt it would not be possible to put it back in if read. Honestly, I'm still quite salty about this edition as I think the publisher really pushed things calling this "deluxe". It is a trade edition (essentially identical) without the jacket in a slipcase that doesn't fit. Mine did have some ink splodges, so got refunded and I decided not to replace, given the price and lack-of-quality.

The variance in quality of the HC "deluxe" releases is certainly frustrating. The deluxe Father Christmas is an example of the "quarter-bound in colorful paper" line that I think was really well done. The several deluxe releases with the full cloth bindings are great books. HC seems to have given up on that line unfortunately.