Antiques Roadshow from Hopetown in Scotland

Well, Americans (some Americans anyway) seem to think that the word 'hobbit' can mean anything they like! Take a look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 9537989&ff4=263602_263622

Garm,

While I am not exactly proud of everything that goes on in the United States (especially in our government), I still hate to hear such generalizations. I guarantee I can find serious morons for you in just about every corner of our planet - and plenty of them are trying to capitalize on someone else's accomplishments (like this particular 'Hobbit Tree' woman).

But I guess stereotypes exist for a reason, right?

Point taken - nevertheless, if one looks up 'hobbit' on ebay, one finds a terrific amount of sheer tat which has nothing to do with hobbits, or JRR. And that sort of thing gets up my nose.

And guess where they all originate?

The boots are one example - here's another.

eBay item 190368749646

Or this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hobbit-Pocketbi ... es_LE?hash=item20b0174573

- wellinghall

Then there's this, for those with a strong stomach -

http://cgi.ebay.com/WHIMSICAL-UNIQUE- ... ain_0?hash=item23051ca6fa

See what I mean? I stick by what I said; Americans - some Americans at least - have not the slightest idea of what is meant by the word 'hobbit'.

I think that what Americans know about the 'Hobbit,' is that if you attach it to anything, you will get hits and you will attract attention to your auctions. Do I think that it is totally lame? Do I think that it is ridiculous, sacrilege, and nearly fraudulent? Of course I do. I love Tolkien's writings, and they have very special meaning to me. Unfortunately, however, Middle Earth is known to many, many people simply as a marketing machine ala Harry Potter.

Anyway, Garm, you win. Your point has been made. There are indeed a lot of Americans who have a pretty perverted concept of who Tolkien was and what his writing was about.

:D

A quick search of eBay.co.uk turned up

Hobbit Lantern Pumpkins

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PUMPKINS-F1-HOB ... p_W0QQitemZ360113750529QQ


Blowfish Hobbit button ankle boots

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Womens-black-Bl ... 7_W0QQitemZ120546948120QQ

A "hobbit / fairy" door that I can't see a Hobbit using...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fairy-pixie-ill ... e_W0QQitemZ230435426396QQ

A "Hobbit" Money tree?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Money-Tree-Cras ... t_W0QQitemZ230452728101QQ


And this was just a quick scan. The botany angle was interesting, at least... (what did I just do with the last half hour? I want it back!)

And going back to the original post...

Trotter, it looks like that tree could well have influenced Barbara Remington, though!