Book of Lost Tales First Worth

voodoomailman wrote:
Any opinions as to the worth of a near fine/fine Houghton Mifflin Book of Lost Tales Part One, first printing (printed in GB)? Not looking for an exact number.. just an estimate. $30-50? $50-100? More? Many thanks!

I'd imagine the UK printing of the HM Bolt I (I think there were 4,000 of them from distant memory?) is worth more than the regular US printed one, but I didn't see many of them specifically advertised when I was collecting them. I only have the regular US first printing, and I paid $15 price-clipped but otherwise fine a few years back. If I had to guess, I'd say $50, but it is a while since I purchased my US first editions (all in the $15 - $30 range). UK 1st HoME prices (along with most Tolkien books to some degree) have absolutely plummeted, but they were coming off a much higher peak than the US editions, so maybe the US edition prices have been less affected.

Probably just stick it on eBay and put the link up here. it is hard to guess prices for these things. Adjust the price if no one buys it.

Yeah that sounds accurate to me. Thanks! That's interesting about the HOME price fluctuations. I didn't have an eye on them until recently, either British or US. How much have they come down? What were they going for at their highest?

voodoomailman wrote:
Yeah that sounds accurate to me. Thanks! That's interesting about the HOME price fluctuations. I didn't have an eye on them until recently, either British or US. How much have they come down? What were they going for at their highest?

Actually, just checked and my BolT 1 isn't price clipped (but it is the US printed version).

The UK Edition prices went quite daft primarily for the last three volumes, especially the last two. Back in the early 2000s, people were paying up to $600 for PoME, based partly on the incorrect idea that many had been pulped. I'd say $250 would be the most one would pay for that volume these days. Even first printings of earlier volumes often traded at fairly silly prices (particularly volumes 1 and 4). Other than the last two volumes, I doubt anyone would pay more than 30 pounds these days. I think the LoTR movies drove that little price bubble.