Trotter wrote:

Urulókë wrote:
Yikes, some people must not have read the updated descriptions. Does that total include the 50 euro "bidder's registration" fees collected?

Yes, I think it does, you had to pay €50 to place bids, but that came off the winning price, so all the other idiots bidders also paid €50 for a book probably worth less than €50 as it is not a good copy of the edition. I would not be surprised if they did not get €500 or more from potential buyers registering.

Jlong wrote:
"Is this still the case when the original recipient of the letter still owns it?"

The Tolkien Estate owns the rights to anything he wrote, regardless of who possesses the letter.

Trotter wrote:
£102 for the last item, madness.

Would any one here ever consider this item for $225 USD?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/J-R-R-Tolki ... tible&hash=item1c2f213070

"Third edition fifth printing (19th impression overall) of J R R Tolkien's The Hobbit published by Allen & Unwin in 1970; hardcover with very good replica dust jacket, not price clipped (shows £1.75) in a book that itself is bright, square, and in very good condition. A good read and a great writer."

I can not think why you would want a replica dust-jacket on a 1970's Hobbit, as you can get them with original dust-jackets.

This copy should also not have a £1.75 on the dust-jacket, my current thinking is that £1.75 copies were probably 1972 copies. This copy should probably be priced as 25s/£1.25.

Urulókë wrote:
Certainly these are out of my price range! And I agree that assembling a collection piecemeal over eBay (or other sources) should put you back a lot less, but isn't that always the case when considering buying from higher end dealers?