I think this one is a much better buy, a real bargain and you can buy it now though sadly not reduced by 10% (which would take $760,000 off the price)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D2

As my first post can I just say what a great discussion site this is. I haven't bought anything significant yet ... but I really feel like I'm getting some helpful advice before I do part with any money. Incidentally, is the general feeling that ebay is overpriced compared to real life auctions? Ebay seems to offer some bargains compared to the bookshops but I guess that takes into account the greater risk involved.
Chris

Was Tolkien ever very close to Bedford in the UK?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tolkien-Close-B ... ty_RL&hash=item27b27e5017

Yes, he lived there for a short while; when he was in the army, I think.

- wellinghall

According to Scull & Hammond, Tolkien was at Bedford for a month in 1915. But I don't think that's the reason the street is named after him. Take a look at the map:

Tolkien Close

Edit: Fixed Link

To return to the posts by Onónion and Gawain on 2 June about the Sigurd and Gudrun with cover art by Arthur Rackham, we've just had the annoying experience of ordering one of these from a German seller on eBay, only to receive the HarperCollins trade paperback with the standard cover. We complained that the book isn't as represented, and were offered half of our cost as a refund. In an apology, the seller (a firm) said that it relies on its suppliers to provide descriptions and images, rather than producing them from copies in hand. We've suggested that in future they should include a disclaimer to this effect.

Other sellers on eBay have also listed copies with the Rackham cover. We supposed from the location of the sellers, Germany and Australia, that it was either a book club edition or one printed solely for export, but now we wonder if any copies ever had that cover, if the art was preliminary and ultimately rejected but got out for advertising purposes.

Wayne & Christina

I noticed this auction today

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JRR-Tolkien-Hob ... ks_UK&hash=item5888593a29

It is nice to be able to refer to such excellent resources as "J.R.R. Tolkien - A Descriptive Bibliography" by Wayne G. Hammond and Douglas Anderson and send them an email stating

"I noticed you listed this item as "leather bound", it is actually bound "in green imitation leather over boards" according to "J.R.R. Tolkien - A Descriptive Bibliography" by Wayne G. Hammond and Douglas Anderson Page 59, and is confirmed by looking at my copy.

Regards

Andrew"

I forgot to mention no dust wrapper

Here is another interesting item currently listed on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Return-King-2nd-Ed ... tible&hash=item2eae272ab0

Here is another interesting item currently listed on ebay http://cgi.ebay.ca/Return-King-2nd-Ed ... tible&hash=item2eae272ab0

This fake from one of eBay's notorious sellers has been on eBay before, I have reported it again to eBay as a forged signed item.

How do you tell this one is a fake? (genuine question!)