Anyone see the value in this eBay auction?

[Rowns] Some of the price on Ebay are just a bit strange really. $100+ for a few paperbacks! What are they missing!

You know to pull out of the bidding when the price gets anywhere near Abebooks prices. If reputible dealers (with ABEs 13.5% fees) can sell for whatever; not much point in paying that on Ebay (unless its a reputible dealer on Ebay also!).

I've been watching HoME prices for a long while now, and the prices people pay for these books are highly variable. They've all been gradually going down in price (I think). But the other day, a fairly normal copy of Sauron Defeated went for £100; which is pretty high. And, did anyone see the copy of Peoples of Middle-earth (usually goes for ~£300-500), that ADCbooks sold last year for £830! . Whats that all about!?

The crazy world of Ebay...

BH

Yes, the current auction is really bizarre.

I have never fully got my head around HoMe prices / scarcity. Partly because I've never really been in the market for them. I have replaced the one book that I didn't buy as a first edition (I think), and upgraded another one that had a worn jacket, but other than that I've only followed the market intermittently.

Yes, that auction really was bizarre. And HoMe prices have always struck me as odd, that they have fluctuated so much.

Okay, here's another one...

The Making of Lord of the Rings Rayner Unwin 1 of 100
Item number: 160203238326

Finished a week or so ago. dunedain8 took it for $83.77 (~£43)!! I don't understand this either. A quick look in bookfinder.com reveals four copies available; all <$42 (Thornton's copy ~$12!!).

So whether its worth $80 odd or not; you can buy it on ABE or Amazon for ~$40 And more than likely you buy from a dealer who actually sells books for a living...

BH

I think this was just a bit of a mis-understanding / confusion on behalf of a few bidders.

As such, this is not quite a limited edition of 100 copies (There were one or two previous 'Limited' Editions). Thorton's are actually the publishers (Wim Meeuws) and the booklet is currently 'in print' and available.

I believe there were two other limited edition print runs (One being 250 copies and the other 50). I am not sure which was the first print run (possibly the 250 print run).

The current print run of 100 copies is not numbered. The earlier 250 print run is numbered on the back cover. I don't have one from the print run of 50 copies (if this exists - I belive from a previous conversation with Wim, that some/most/all of these may have been lost when he moved).

If the final bid were for a copy of the Numbered 250 Copy Limited Run, it may indeed reflect an appropriate price. I did see another copy (of the 250 print run) sell for somewhere around £60 last year on Ebay.

I hope I have most of the above information correct (not 100% on all of it, but I think it is mostly right).

Thanks for that remy. Well, don't I feel a fool! I was very much one of the confused bidders!

I personally wondered at the lack of 'limited' claim in most of the ABE & Amazon items I pointed out. However if this copy (the Ebay one) was indeed one of the numbered (of 250) copies, it seems unlikely the seller would positively state that their copy was 1 of 100 (... I think...); unless of course they had missed that mention at the back and were referencing from elsewhere.

So are you saying the priority was...
1 of 50; probably all lost
1 of 250; clearly marked as such
1 of 100; not indicated

Assuming the one sold was (as stated) 1 of 100, that would be the same variant/printing that Thornton's are currently listing (which their not really listing anymore, as I just bought it) for £6.

Hmmm... I clearly just bought the latest printing then. Nice content all the same. Still think dunedain8 was stung if the listing is accurate though... Although I clearly have no clue as to what I'm talking about in respect to this publication...

BH

I am not 100% sure of the Priority. Deagol may have a better idea. I would guess that the 250 Limited Numbered Run was the real First Printing.

The reason being is that a few years ago, Wim had one of the 50 Print Run for sale which I tried to purchase. But upon ordering, he informed me that about moving and losing the booklets. That was sometime in 2005 I think. So I would guess that the 250 Print Run is the First Run as the last ones available for sale (before the current 100 run) was from the 50 print run. Hope that makes sense!!! But as I mentioned, I may not be 100% correct. I am using a bit of guesswork.

I would be pretty certain that the one on Ebay was from the latest print run of 100 copies and indeed a rare mistake by dunedain8.

Still, it is a great item for those interested in the Publication History of Tolkien/The Lord of the Rings.

...indeed a rare mistake by dunedain8.

He he he... even the big guns make mistakes. Incidentally, anyone know who dunedain8 is?; doesn't post here?

Deagol -any firm idea of priority?

BH

dunedain8 is David Miller (The Tolkien Bookshelf at ABEBooks). Also one of the sellers that lists with Beren at tolkienlibrary.com.

He's certainly aware of this site, but I don't think he posts.