But you won't be able to differentiate using the ISBN. As both copies will have both ISBN's on the copyright page. Yes/No?

Basically this 'first 500 off the press' claim will become a mute point once these books on are on the open market; making me ask -why bother? Or why were they not numbered? (Or different in some small way.) Just seems like a this wasn't really thought through...

BH

It still states on the FAQ on the website that it is a numbered edition and I expect that they intended it be numbered but neglected to ask Alan to number them.

There is no real value in owning this book over the £20 cheaper copy on Amazon (as it would be easy to get Alan to sign the book) and I once again feel Harper Collins have let down individuals like ourselves by overcharging for a non-exclusive copy of the book.

I might ask Trading Standards about this.

I was unfortunate enough to be made redundant last week, so neither for me at the moment

- wellinghall

I'm in the Netherlands, and I was able to order a copy to be sent over here. So was someone I know in Belgium (Beren will know him also - he frequents Dutch language Tolkien fora were Beren and I are also regulars).

Perhaps if HC are made aware of the incorrect information on their website (about the numbering) they could also make ammends by asking Alan to only sign the 'standard' deluxe book with a personal dedication or to not sign the title page (and sign one of the end-papers instead, for example), in order to help preserve the claimed exclusivity of the first 500?

I suspect the problem of miss set expectations has come about because of the use of careless cut-and-paste from the info about the CoH signed edition. From the fairly dismal state of the their website(s) over the last couple of years I get the impression that their web-developers are probably not particularly experienced.

Stu