This error is quite hilarious.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienbooks/s/kFtuMUmdiE

Halbarad wrote:

This error is quite hilarious.

Amazing. Didn’t even know that could happen.

Tuor son of Huor wrote:

Amazing. Didn’t even know that could happen.

I didn’t either and I am VERY curious now.

Halbarad wrote:

Tuor son of Huor wrote:

Amazing. Didn’t even know that could happen.

I didn’t either and I am VERY curious now.

Both sets (HarperCollins & William Morrow) were printed and bound by the same printer, around the same time, in this case Printed and bound by Graphicom in Italy. This set was obviously assembled incorrectly.

Halbarad wrote:

This error is quite hilarious.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienbooks/s/kFtuMUmdiE

This one as well... Crazy

https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienbooks/s/UzaZUnKbVn

姜太一 wrote:

This one as well... Crazy

https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienbooks/s/UzaZUnKbVn

Hahaha 😂 Yeah, I’m glad I’m waiting. Seems like there’s some more production issues to iron out here and in the collected poems.

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see a few of those with the incorrect spine turning up. Usually materials like these are loaded up in batches, so I'd be surprised if just one copy had the incorrect spine. At least things like this make for non-contentious returns.

This is just ridiculously sloppy work, is there no quality control? I understand that such mistakes can happen down the factory line, but still. It is disappointing. And getting two of the same book, and one with the wrong cover as well!

I have pre-ordered the HarperCollins set trough my work in a bookstore. So luckily I can check if there is any faults and make a return before even buying the set, if there is any faults.

And heaven forbid, but what are the people who like ‘true’ first printings going to do? Clearly they’re printed at the same time 😆