That adds nothing to what I've said.

Khamûl wrote:

Apologies for this near ten-year thread bump, but here goes...

Been thinking about this recently. It was asked is the Methuen Silmarillion real leather? Neil had stated his doubts because in his copy he could see what he thought was a cloth weave exposed underneath. And Wayne & others have stated it is leather. If both are correct is it not most likely that this is "bonded" leather?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonded_leather

Bonded leather is made by shredding leather scraps and leather fiber, then mixing it with bonding materials. The mixture is next extruded onto a cloth or paper backing, and the surface is usually embossed with a leather-like texture or grain.

It might be, I think we need to find a book-binder to ask about this, does anyone know one?

It's all the info about that edition, so yes, it's relevant.

Hello everyone, long time no see.

My copy definitely has a weave of the cloth underneath.

Actually, most of the thickness of the spine is made of cloth.

It looks like bonded leather to me, it is not genuine leather for sure.

Cheers ,

Lokki

insurrbution wrote:

It's all the info about that edition, so yes, it's relevant.

Info on TolkienBooks.US comes from the sources Khamûl is examining and would most definitely cede to his determinations.

I can't see too well under electric light; I'll have to check again tomorrow under daylight. But for now I'll go mainly by smell. - the Methuen smells like leather to me. The Hobbit feels and smells like leather. Oddly, my copy of The Silmarillion looks like leather, but doesn't much smell of leather. I suppose the smell may have faded over the years?

I did the test by myself a few hours ago and it indeed smells a bit like leather. However, as there is some leather in the bonded leather that could explain the smell.

Here is a pic. The blue layer is ultra-thin.

Here is the front.

That's pretty conclusive looking, Lokki. That looks like bonded leather for sure.