I was indeed troubled by the nature of the bookplate. It does look incredibly easy to reproduce in facsimile. One must wonder how many other fakes are out there already. Collecting autographs is always risky. I am partial to the limited and numbered deluxe editions that have been released in the past. These would seem much more difficult to fake, since these books are specifically made to be released as signed/deluxe copies, thus none exist which are unsigned.

I have sent reports to EBay for both the book and the bookplates that were listed. I wonder how EBay determines whether the signatures are forged. Do they just base their decision on receiving a multitude of complaints, or do they have to prove it further in order to suspend this guy's account? The signed book was very obvious, but unless you were a Tolkien collector, the plates might be more difficult to disprove. I have certainly never seen anything like them and would be skeptical based simply on their random nature as well as the timing.

Trotter wrote:

"How long before the first COH signed by J.R.R. Tolkien appears?"

I'm waiting to bid on a signed copy until I see one signed "Turin Turambar." I heard he was at a signing event in Oxford this weekend with his wife.....or was it his sister? I'm not sure.

Regarding my last post.... I am not sure that it belongs under this topic, as it has nothing to do with a signed edition. Without starting a new thread, I thought this was the best place for it. Maybe with the release of the new book coming up soon, it is time to start a dedicated thread to the Children of Hurin. It is not often that a new Tolkien book of this magnitude is released!

There is a photo up on Amazon.com (U.S.A.) of the deluxe edition Children of Hurin.

http://www.amazon.com/Children-Hurin- ... R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618904417

I thought it was a bit curious that the Houghton Mifflin version looks a lot like the Harper Collins version. This was not the case with 50th Ann. Lord of the Rings. I wonder what the differences are. For one thing, the price is a lot less. Amazon lists the Houghton version at $47.25 USD, while the Harper Collins UK version is listed currently at £42.00 GBP (or about $80.70 USD).

Regarding the currently available "Deluxe" LOTR from Amazon UK..... I have purchased one myself within the last month. (Quick side note: I paid 70 pounds sterling for it. Before I received the book, the price dropped briefly to 65 pounds. I contacted Amazon, and they were very happy to refund the difference. They are very easy to deal with and are always quite resposive to emails.) I had originally intended on keeping the book in its shrinkwrap, but unfortunately, the book arrived with the shrinkwrap torn open and the spine of the book was damaged. Amazon immediately sent a replacement copy at no charge (which thankfully arrived in perfect shape), and gave me 30 days to return the damaged book (at their expense!). To make a very long story short, I was able to see the copyright page, since the book was already opened. It was a second printing of the 2004 deluxe edition. So, it is likely that the initial sellout was the first printing. The first printing may have been limited to 2500 copies, but by not marketing it as a limited edition, it left the door open to subsequent printings. Although the discounted price will not get you a first printing, it is still a very nice book, and I think well worth the money. I have also purchased the Deluxe Hobbit, but have not yet opened it to confirm the print run. I'm very much looking forward to the Children of Hurin Deluxe edition. Somehow, we need to convince Harper Collins to print a matching Deluxe Simarillion. My shelf will just not look right with that piece missing!