Baker and Taylor report:

BOLT I - in print and in hand ("available")
BOLT II - available
Lays - in print, available for back order from the publisher ("back order")
Shaping - available
Lost Road - "Publisher out of stock" (but possible to try and back order)
Return of the Shadow - back order
Treason of Isengard - back order
War of the Ring - back order
Sauron Defeated - available
Jewels - back order
Morgoth - available
Peoples - available


Note for Lost Road, that publisher "out of stock" is different from "permanently out of stock" - this means that a new impression will be issued if/when demand requires it.

I thought for sure upon seeing them that the Holy Grail of Tolkien bookdom would for sure be those big giant encyclopedia looking History of Middle-Earth's by Harper Collins.

I would love to get my hands on those but they are like $500 bucks each!

Eric the Red

Don't get me wrong, there are a ton of "holy grails" out there in Tolkien collecting - my particular highlight was just of the US first editions of the History of Middle-earth books. UK firsts, various combined books like those you mentioned, etc. all have their own scarcity and desirability curves.

That's the fun in all of this!

Eric the Red, here is a copy of The Lost Road (1st, 1st) for $25. Looks like it is in pretty good condition for the price. This volume took me the longest time to secure for a decent price when I was putting my set of American HoMe together.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... EWAX:IT&item=380095534428

Thanks a bunch dude!

Eric

Do you still have your Valiant Armoury Bastard?
Please advise as I'm interested.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/History-of-Mi ... Books&hash=item3cc4c142a2

The DJ on "Shaping" does not look like the normal 1/1 version.

Stu.

You are right - Shaping should not have that gold box at the top.

Also - none of the first eight books should have the dolphin above "Houghton Mifflin" at the bottom of the spine - that was not added until Sauron Defeated I believe, so a lot of these dustjackets are later printings.

The seller only claims 1, 2 and 8 as first printings (according to the number lines) but from the dustjackets, only 8 has a shot at being 1/1 in the correct jacket.

Sounds like a great set!
(Why are we discussing it?)

BH