I didn't realise you guys were discussing MF's comment on TolkienLibrary & posted a comment there, just after Pieter's. You can remove this too Beren, since I didn't say anything of great value; just a kind of: why are you posting this comment here Mark?

Anyway, the museum sounds nice enough. However like garm I have little interest (a bit harsh; perhaps "less interest") in people "new" to collecting --who spend massive, seem to care little about finding out about Tolkien (or Tolkien bibliography), and who in 10 years are probably going to be collecting (or doing) something else. I just don't feel there is any substance there; a genuine underlying interest being shown. Now, people who have fabulous collections that cost peanuts: that's more interesting. Especially (unlike you garm! --who probably assembled much of yours decades ago! --only kidding...) those who have assembled a collection on a shoestring budget today. That takes time, patience, and not a little skill & knowledge.

BH

I fully understand what you mean. The only nice thing is that the guy who wants to open the museum wants to open it up and has no problem to have people come there to do research etc. I know walking tree publishers have used his collection several times to do some research... and that alone is a good thing.

As for the rest I believe MF has some personal problems with the guy behind the museum and is picking on me for writing about it.

Agreed. Agreed.

BH

I was just looking at Beren's article again - the building looks huge, doesn't it? Is all that space just for the museum? It's vast!

Plenty of room for you to kip on the floor!

BH