What are we to make of this, I wonder?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Addisons-Walk ... _Arts&hash=item19d6529150

The spiel says the drawing is on parchment - which I doubt. What's the significance of the date, I wonder? And the item was found in a house clearance on the east coast.

And finally - how do they come up with this price?

Here's a hobbit with a bit of hype -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOLKIEN-THE-H ... tible&hash=item1c2c9477b5

- Bound by 'the world's greatest binders', that is, the Chelsea Bindery, and on offer at an eye-watering 18,000 USD. To put things in perspective - the Chelsea Bindery is owned by Peter Harrington bookdealers. They have one for sale at 7500 GBP (somewhere between 11,000 and 12,000 USD).

http://www.peterharrington.co.uk/sear ... mc=170865057&__sumo_srd=1

There's no doubt the Chelsea Bindery do excellent work, and if I were to buy a re-bound book, I'd definitely look at their output. But for me, there's nothing to beat Bayntun's - Peter Harrington's have one of theirs too, for the same price. I think it's lovely.

This guy never fails to disappoint! He needs a thread all on his own.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/THE-HOBBIT-Tol ... tible&hash=item564e4e30f6

"Copies this clean seldom become available and I know I am asking a premium for it, given it's state, condition and rarity, it's worth what I am asking. Don't believe me? Try and find another one..."

HA HA!

Here are some of the items people have actually bought from this seller:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/HOBBIT-Tolkien ... th-Printing-/110890275833

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Tolkien-ILLUST ... gue-HUGE-SC-/200784462359

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SILMARILLION-T ... ilt-EDITION-/200815876531

What a joke.

Wow!

$75 for a Guild Silmarillion!? That's one of the worst prices I can recall in a long time. I'm not sure what's more alarming: that asking price, or the fact that someone actually bought it at that price! Shocking stuff...

BH