insurrbution wrote:

Trotter wrote:

Not aware of any fake Alan Lee signatures, do you have evidence of any?

That's not what I was getting at in the slightest, and of course I don't. Why would I? Those titles I've mentioned are some of the newer signed Tolkien items sold by a retailer. (Not a marketplace, or not 'used' or anything of the sort)

Another further example would be the limited editions of The Children of Hurin and The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun; both of which are signed by Christopher Tolkien (and Alan Lee for CoH) Now, that doesn't mean that there HAS to be fake CT signatures, but again showcasing a genuine signed item.

Worth saying that there were numerous fakes of the Children of Hurin launch CT / AL book-plates.

insurrbution wrote:

Because there have been numerous scams over the years involving signatures (not limited to Tolkien), my policy is this:

Unless see and meet the person doing the signing first-hand, or if an actual bookstore is selling signed copies, (ie, Waterstones and Blackwell's for The Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthien, The Fall of Gondolin and The Hobbit Sketchbook signed by Alan Lee) then I don't trust it. Those that do are taking a risk.

Always good to have a policy. Do you have any signed items, and if so, what makes you satisfied of their provenance? Do you go to signings, yourself?

If I can go to signings, I try my best to do so.

I have a few signed items - but the only Tolkien (and even then it's technically 'Jackson') I have is that I got my Lord of the Rings blu-ray set box (as in the actual box) signed by Sean Astin. Oh wait - for this past Christmas I got a signed edition of The Hobbit Sketchbook signed by Alan Lee (Blackwell's was selling signed copies).

I have a few other assorted signatures as well. Most of which are actually signed by the person right before my eyes, or, a non-used bookstore selling signed copies (with"Signed Edition" or "Signed by the Author" sticker on the cover)

insurrbution wrote:

If I can go to signings, I try my best to do so.

I have a few signed items - but the only Tolkien (and even then it's technically 'Jackson') I have is that I got my Lord of the Rings blu-ray set box (as in the actual box) signed by Sean Astin. Oh wait - for this past Christmas I got a signed edition of The Hobbit Sketchbook signed by Alan Lee (Blackwell's was selling signed copies).

I have a few other assorted signatures as well. Most of which are actually signed by the person right before my eyes, or, a non-used bookstore selling signed copies (with"Signed Edition" or "Signed by the Author" sticker on the cover)

The problem with fake signatures in books and letters currently is around Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien signed items, these are the areas to be careful with. I agree that some of the film stars signatures have been faked, but as I am not interested in those, can't offer any advice.

Exactly, which is I used the limited editions as an example: all 500 of both publications (500 for one, 500 for the other) were hand-signed/numbered by Christopher Tolkien, and by Alan Lee on another one. I doubt that there exists any of the limited editions from '07 and '09 that aren't signed and numbered.

insurrbution wrote:

Exactly, which is I used the limited editions as an example: all 500 of both publications (500 for one, 500 for the other) were hand-signed/numbered by Christopher Tolkien, and by Alan Lee on another one. I doubt that there exists any of the limited editions from '07 and '09 that aren't signed and numbered.

There are at least two copies of the unsigned Superdeluxe CoHs out there. One with all the pages and apparently complete and one which is a pure publishers dummy.

The complete one was sold by a HC employee I believe. Described as a printer's copy.

Khamûl wrote:

The complete one was sold by a HC employee I believe. Described as a printer's copy.

IIRC the dummy had the same image for each of the plates (the standard Hurin cover image), and I think the gilt bits were omitted on the tray case. I should have bought it, as it wasn't expensive.

No room under the bed?

insurrbution wrote:

Exactly, which is I used the limited editions as an example: all 500 of both publications (500 for one, 500 for the other) were hand-signed/numbered by Christopher Tolkien, and by Alan Lee on another one. I doubt that there exists any of the limited editions from '07 and '09 that aren't signed and numbered.

I don't have any problems with these items being correctly signed, but you seem to not be aware that the main issue with fake signatures is Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien' signatures that are not on limited editions, J.R.R. Tolkien's signature does not appear on any limited edition that I am aware of.

Not sure why you are bringing up limited editions in this case?