Greetings, Everyone. In one of my current Ebay auctions, I am selling a copy of the 1990 Unwin Hyman Deluxe Lord of the Rings. My copy is contained in the two piece box that is common throughout the earlier printings, as opposed to standard issue slipcase that is consistent with the 1990 (11th) printing. Another Ebay member (quite possibly a member of this forum?) has inquired about this discrepancy. I have owned the book for several years, but am not the original owner, so I cannot say for sure that it was issued this way. The box, however, does match in condition and does not seem out of place, so I have always assumed it was original.

The bibliography over at Tolkienbooks.net only states that this edition was issued in a slipcase, but that is the only other source I have checked. My best guess has always been that Unwin had a few remaining boxes from the 10th impression and used those up on a portion of the 11th, as opposed to scrapping them. Can anyone confirm this notion? Has anyone else ever seen this book issued in a box? Has anyone seen the corresponding year's Deluxe Hobbit in a box?

My auctions are almost finished at this point, so the answer to this question will likely have little bearing there, but I thought it was an interesting question nonetheless and worth posing to the forum.

Regards,

Steve