Misprint?

Misprints in books add no value, in fact they seriously reduce the use and value of the book.

I would complain to the seller as they should have told you about this.

Laurel, I certainly take Trotter's advice that the misprint is not value-adding in terms of re-sale value but (as one of the people who also bid on this - the seller did list the faults) I have to say I rather like the idea of having the odd misprinted volume as a bit of a curiousity. I have seen this kind of mis-printing now and again though not in Tolkien particularly.

Gawain wrote:
Laurel, I certainly take Trotter's advice that the misprint is not value-adding in terms of re-sale value but (as one of the people who also bid on this - the seller did list the faults) I have to say I rather like the idea of having the odd misprinted volume as a bit of a curiousity. I have seen this kind of mis-printing now and again though not in Tolkien particularly.

I am struggling with why you like misprinted items for books. Perfect copies are preferred

I certainly agree, perfect copies are to be preferred but a misprinted copy is an item that should have been outsorted by the printer/publisher and scrapped. So, while not deliberately unique (as a signed copy might be), it is an oddity that is (mildly) interesting (at least to me).

Does it not seem odd that mis-printed stamps for instance are highly valuable because of their rarity but that is not true of mis-printed books ?

I agree Gawain but then again i dont think I would pay a fortune for a misprint. You are right the seller did in fairness point out faults but i didnt really buy it for its value just out of interest.

Trotter is just jealous ;)

I think this touches on a wider issue of collectable condition, & in particular, in Tolkien book collecting.

Trotter, people like them (& buy them) because they tell something (or at least they might suggest this, to some buyers) about the process of book production. I don't suppose they say much to those familiar with the processes involved i.e. someone who has worked in the printing industry. But they reveal, in part, something of the marvel (mostly imagined, no doubt, in the eyes of the collector) of the process of printing.

Of course, by definition, most of these are unique; but I wouldn't like them to start attracting great interest, as I personally like being able to pick them up for cheap --best keeping it that way, for my sake, & for others who like such things.

Either way, in Tolkien book collecting (& I guess collecting of modern first editions generally) flawed books (misprints, binding faults, pages folded in printing process, previous ownership marks, bookplates, inscriptions, marginalia etc) are fairly looked down upon; unfairly I think. Come a certain age, books with inscriptions & the like can be (should be!) of great interest.

BH

"Either way, in Tolkien book collecting (& I guess collecting of modern first editions generally) flawed books (misprints, binding faults, pages folded in printing process, previous ownership marks, bookplates, inscriptions, marginalia etc) are fairly looked down upon; unfairly I think. Come a certain age, books with inscriptions & the like can be (should be!) of great interest.
"
I wouldn't put books with production faults in the same category as books with marginalia. Books with deformed or missing pages are 'wrong', and ought to be returned to the vendor, IMO.

Whereas, with marginalia - it depends on whoever made the notes, I think; and their relationship (if any) with JRR. I have a cracking example, once owned by Tolkien's colleague G.V. Smithers.

You're clearly in the Trotter-thinking group garm! Some people actually buy these items for the very reason(s) discussed; they don't want to return them.

Okay, with marginalia --agreed. What about a bookplate? Would you buy any new (let's say post 2000 deluxe edition) Tolkien book with a previous owner's bookplate pasted in? Not just, would you pay less --would you consider purchasing at all?

BH

Well, each book has to be considered on its merits. But in the case you mentioned - a post-2000 Tolkien book with a bookplate - no. In general, I prefer tohave books as they come from the publishers.