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PLEASE help.. Signed copy of the Hobbit

29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 2:44:31 PM UTC

Hi, i have a signed copy of the hobbit though i think it is a 4th edition! however, i thought tolkien died in 1973 and the 4th edition would make it 1981?

Also the signiture isnt printed on the book its written on a label with the name forrester and a picture with a lion on top of a shield with je puis written underneath? Does anyone know any information on this as i thought tolkien didnt really sign anything and if he did it would be to family and friends however the edition is after he died?

Can anyone help and does anyone know how much it is worth?

cheryl-jamie

i'm sorry my camera isnt very good, thought he signiture is hand written in ink

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29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:00:03 PM UTC
If the year is stated and it is after 1973 then it is not JRRT's signature.

If you can tell us a bit more about the book/edition we might be able to give you a rough idea of value. A photo would be helpful!
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:02:07 PM UTC
ok i'll try and put a photo now, yeah thats what i thought although the signiture looks really authetic?

CJ
will post photo now
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:24:14 PM UTC
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:28:25 PM UTC
i dont understand? can u elaborate?

how does it help?
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:33:46 PM UTC
thanks i found it, but it doesnt explain why mine has a signature? unless tolkien signed some 'labels' and they were stuck in after his death?
i dont understand?
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:46:48 PM UTC
The signature does look quite good and may be genuine, though others here might disagree with me.

The book itself is worth only a pound or two. The signature, if genuine, maybe worth up to a thousand maybe.

The big trouble is that it is in a book from the early 1980s which raises big doubts about its authenticity. How did it get there I wonder. I have had a quick look around but did not find any connections between JRRT and anybody called Forrester.

Is the label an adhesive label, or is it a page from another book pasted in? Are the brown spots (foxing) genuine, aging of the paper, or printed as part of the design?
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 3:57:19 PM UTC
yeah i couldnt find any relationship betweethe two i didnt know what forrester meant either

its not a page from another book, looks more like a large adhesive sticker/label thing.
I had a look at other signatures on the web and its exactly the same though i understand he rarely signed things unless for family and friends so i dont have a clue, though the colour is genuine i didnt even know it was called foxing!!! but yeah they are genuine, its in really good condition though.

And just to be clear i'm definately not a hoaxer or anything like that i'm a 21 year old fashion designer who knows nothing about tolkien etc, until i read the web today, though i have read his works.

p.s i bought it from a charity shop today, which is why i'm trying to find out about it,
29 Nov, 2008
2008-11-29 5:48:12 PM UTC
I personally don't think that this is genuine for the reasons that Deagol mentioned.

Tolkien signatures are a minefield, lots of very convincing fakes exist, as an example if you look at this copy of the Lord of the Rings, the note looks very convincing, but I have the exact same copy of that note and it is very hard to tell that it is not a genuine signature.

You could and try and sell your book as a 'signed' book but the lack of provenance would put off any serious bidders. I think you should keep it, with the belief that it may be signed by Tolkien, but you will never know for certain.

Beren, another regular, on this board posted an article on his website about signatures and it is well worth reading if you have not already seen it.

http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/fascimilesignatures.htm
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