Question...monsters and the critics?

The first thing is to check the name of the publisher - the 1st printing, and most of the reprints are by Oxford University Press. Then see whether there's a later date on the reverse of the title page. (my 1971 reprint lists reprints in 1958, 1960, 1963)

Check the size of the booklet - the first printing is roughly 25cm by 16cm. (10X6.5 in) I think later printings are smaller?

It sure fits that size. There are no dates apart from the obvious 1936 on the cover. On the last page it says

'Printed in Great Britain at the University press oxford by John Johnson printer to the university.' No date though...


It also has 'price 3s. net' on coverwhich im told is another good sign. Can find any price comparisons online though as its proving very hard to come across.

Yes, I was going to mention the price. My 1971 reprint cost 30p, that is, 30 new pence (the UK went decimal in 1970). 3s is short for three shillings; 30p was the equivalent of six shillings.

Let's see; according to my copy of Peter Sutcliffe's 'The Oxford University Press: An Informal History (Oxford, 1978), John Johnson was Printer to the University from 1925-1946, which I guess makes yours a first printing. Unless anyone can come up with an objection.

Thanks very much for your help. Im guessing ebay is the best place to sell this?

Yes, I guess - though I don't know what they're fetching these days.

Just saw this on ebay......doesnt look to be an original, does it?


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOLKIEN-BEOWULF ... 2c54177858#ht_1573wt_1167

Hi Seany Boy
Oddly enough i was looking at this last night too. The seller is good and i have no reason to question reputation but his copy for sale does not look like the link above. The size of this item is 24.5 x 14.5 so it kind of fits in with sizes above and understand was purchased from a very very reputable Tolkien dealer but no watermark evident.

Were the booklets handed out at the lecture and then reprinted?
Cant imagine this to be true ?

Folks
Can anyone help here to understand printing order ?
Am sure tolkien books site would have helped if up and running!
Thanks

It looks more like the Folcourt Press edition from 1969 by looking at the pictures on tolkienbooks.net (via archive.org)

http://web.archive.org/web/2007101121 ... tails.php?reference=14350

Until Deagol fixes the site, you can use archive.org to see most of the information that used to be available. Archive.org can be a bit unfriendly, sometimes you need to refresh your browser to see the page, they also do not seem to have archived every entry so you may get some errors.

http://web.archive.org/web/2007101015 ... books.net/html/biblio.htm

I agree that the vendor is very good and reliable; no problem there. But I think he's mistaken this time - as Trotter says, it looks more like the Folcourt Press edition. it's an easy mistake to make.

According to Hammond there were also editions by Norwood Editions (1975) and Arden Library (1978). There was also a typed hand-out which was given to those who attended the lecture; I've only ever seen one of these.