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25 Aug, 2010
2010-8-25 8:05:25 AM UTC
Remy: I think the Rebound Roverandom was limited to 25 copies.

Oh, yes, I knew it was a small number, but I was too lazy to check it and I went for 10 copies...
1 Sep, 2010
2010-9-1 7:25:54 PM UTC
1 Sep, 2010
2010-9-1 9:17:10 PM UTC
That's a nice book, but I think you may find it a bit restricting to collect only boxed editions of Tolkien's works from now on. But we'll see.

(as a matter of fact, there's nothing stopping you having boxes or slipcases made for your books - apart from the price, of course. I had my Methuen Silm. on the shelf, just as it comes from the printers, for years. Then last year I decided it needed a bit of protection from dust and general shelf-wear, so I had a bookbinder knock up a nice slipcase in paper-covered boards with a ribbon pull, which moves the book out of the case like silk. It cost me £20.00, which I thought reasonable.

As for the Harper Collins logo - forgive my bluntness, but what else can you expect? All the HC books have that logo. My older copies of LotR etc have the Unwin Hyman logo, and the ones before that have the Allen & Unwin logo (which is, simply, their name; but a logo nonetheless.) Branding is exactly what it is; it's been going on forever; and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. Now what is odd is that on the limited ed. Folio set, the name of the author is missing from the spines; all you see is the book title (TH, LotR, Silm), and the word 'FOLIO' in large capitals. Mind you, the designer makes up for it on the books' front covers.

India paper is lovely; though I've never been happy about reading my copies. The paper seems too thin, though actually I've read (in Sutcliffe's history of the Oxford University Press) that one ought to be able to support the whole weight of a book by one leaf. Not that I'd try it myself!

Tolkien called the 1969 India Paper LotR 'the Bible edition.
1 Sep, 2010
2010-9-1 9:49:03 PM UTC
I find the idea of focusing on just collecting boxed/slipcased editions quite a good idea. At a rough count there are about 50 UK different ones (I am including paperback boxed sets) on my shelves and I don't even have all the ones I would want in my collection (I don't have the pauline baynes hardback set for instance).

On garm's point about a single leaf suporting the whole weight: I have a really bad condition 1978 LOTR India-paper (no box, pages missing at the back and cover painted - yes, painted - grey - it cost a pound) so I have just tried holding one page and, lo and behold, it does work. Not even close to tearing. The paper is evidently deceptively strong.
2 Sep, 2010
2010-9-2 4:53:17 AM UTC
Boxed editions are restricting but if you take UK published books alone (both hardback and paperback, and include Folio Society editions) in slipcases or boxes, there are about 75 different sets to collect.

Some of the paperback box sets from the 1970's are now difficult to find, mainly because the cardboard boxes were poorly made and have fallen to pieces.
2 Sep, 2010
2010-9-2 6:31:59 PM UTC
Good Lord, really? Cor. Well, after a v.quick count-up, I see I have around that number of books or sets of books in boxes - well, slipcases, really. Only one of my Hobbits and a Poems and Stories are in actual boxes; that is, with a lid. And of course there's the super deluxe CoH, and Sigurd... hmm; that's more than I thought.
2 Sep, 2010
2010-9-2 6:34:26 PM UTC
Well I think an aim of owning 75 books is pretty decent, but you are right about being able to slipcase books myself. I have a lovely slipcase from David at tolkienbookshelf which would take care of any book. The only problem is would the book be creased and leaning etc before it got to me.
2 Sep, 2010
2010-9-2 6:48:21 PM UTC
Well I think an aim of owning 75 books is pretty decent, but you are right about being able to slipcase books myself. I have a lovely slipcase from David at tolkienbookshelf which would take care of any book. The only problem is would the book be creased and leaning etc before it got to me.

It would be a lot more than 75 books, as a lot of box-sets include more than one book.

I did not include slipcases and clamshell cases that I have made, but they are really good to protect books (I have 6 of these).

If you buy a 50 year or older book you may have to put up with "the book be creased and leaning etc. before it got to me."
2 Sep, 2010
2010-9-2 6:58:34 PM UTC
Yes indeedy, and that's a given. However it annoys me that a recent book (say the centenary LOTR illustrated by Alan Lee) can get into such bad shape simply through sitting on a shelf and having the occasional flick-through. These big heavy books seem prone to this, and it just puts me off them.

Even if I were to buy a brand new edition right now that wasn't in a slipcase, it's very likely it would be in bad shape in ten years time, (or I should say 'worse' shape) even if I had looked after it. Not a great investment in my mind.

No, if I see something I like and it's not in a slipcase, I will buy one right away for it!
2 Sep, 2010
2010-9-2 7:02:09 PM UTC
No, if I see something I like and it's not in a slipcase, I will buy one right away for it!
I think that was garm's original point, which I completely agree with
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