By
Red
7 Jun, 2010
(edited)Edited by Khamul on 2010-6-10 9:07:00 PM UTC
2010-6-7 5:29:28 PM UTC
I recently acquired what is supposedly a first american edition of The Silmarillion. It is significantly smaller than any other Sils I've seen and is bound in red cloth. It has all the points of a first american edition, Father Giles of Ham etc. I've never seen it listed anywhere and was just wondering if anyone else had any information on it.
thanks
8 Jun, 2010
2010-6-8 2:41:47 PM UTC
So how else does it differ? Other than being bound in red cloth, does it have a dustjacket?; and if so, is this the same as the normal edition? (--except smaller) Copyright page: identical? No mention of this edition being something else? i.e. a Taiwan pirated edition or something. And is it definitely "cloth"?
I'm afraid I ain't no expert on US Silmarillions. I only have a few standard 1st printings on my shelves; & I don't have Hammond (the book that is!) to hand. More detail...
BH
9 Jun, 2010
2010-6-9 1:42:28 AM UTC
Yes, more details, please -- photo(s), if possible. Is there a date on the title-page? Is there a printing code (row of numbers) on the copyright page? Is there a fold-out map, or is the map printed on the endpapers? Presumably all as for the standard hardback, as you say it has all the points. Especially, how is it bound? My first thought was of the first American trade paperback, which is in red wrappers and somewhat smaller than the standard American hardback, but that has always had correct "Farmer Giles" in the list of works. Another thought is that the copy in question has been rebound and, in the process, cut down, perhaps a library rebinding. Are there any library marks? Or there could be a book club edition Christina and I have never seen.
Wayne
10 Jun, 2010
2010-6-10 9:05:43 PM UTC
I posted some pictures of a red
Silmarillion I acquired in a thread a while back. It's not cloth, & I'm sure when you said "cloth" you meant it; but here's the link to the images in any case.
SILM: Pirate Editions (
Posted on: 2009/9/4 8:18)
The post also has some speculative remarks, by myself, in regards to Wayne's
Bibliography; undoubtedly in error...
BH
11 Jun, 2010
2010-6-11 8:09:57 AM UTC
I have a UK dummy book club edition of The Silmarillion, which is both smaller than my other copies and bound in red cloth.
- wellinghall
11 Jun, 2010
2010-6-11 6:49:30 PM UTC
Andrew, are you talking about the dummy copy you just posted about? (--that I'd like in my collection!)
Dummy Silmarillion I assume not, as it's not cloth: yes/no? It looks like the usual paper-covered boards.
BH
15 Jun, 2010
2010-6-15 4:52:41 PM UTC
Um, yes, it does have paper covered boards. I don't know what I can have been thinking of when I said cloth. Whoops!
- wellinghall
23 Jun, 2010
2010-6-23 8:34:55 PM UTC
khamul, thank you for the pictures - that is the same edition as I have, the only difference being that my copy does have a dj (a copy of the american edition). It is interesting to know that it is a "pirated" copy and you are correct - it is not cloth bound. Any idea of the value? I picked mine up for less than 10 pounds.
Red
25 Jun, 2010
2010-6-25 5:01:12 PM UTC
I don't think pirate editions are worth much, & although not rare (they must have produced quite a few you would think) --they are quite scarce i.e. if you wanted to go and buy a copy you might struggle to find one. Because of this a seller may charge annoyingly high for it, assuming it's of some worth.
I have two UK pirated copies with jackets & the jacket-less US copy I posted pictures of. For some reason I paid £25 for my first copy (copyright page had been excised), £15 for the second UK copy (go figure!), and £12 for the US copy. Not that I cared at the time, for I just wanted to have a look at a copy, but I overpaid by some margin for the first copy I think; the second price was more in line for a good UK pirated copy; & the second was probably too much for a copy without a jacket.
Judging by the fact that a 1970's pirated Hobbit, always a more popular title than The Silmarillion, went for £9.08 just the other day on eBay --I'd guess they're of novelty value only to most collectors. Put it this way --if you stuck a copy on eBay for Buy-It-Now £20, it would probably take a while to shift.
BH