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8 Jul, 2015
2015-7-8 10:59:42 PM UTC
The "Printed in China" statement undoubtedly indicates that it is a reprint, (irrespective of the lack of red foil on the book cover -- that is interesting though, as I didn't realise they deleted the red foil when they reprinted).

To answer Tapuvae's question, the first printing of the unsigned version also has the red/gold foil. There is no difference whatsoever (other than the added signature and different "information sheet") between the two versions of the first printing. They are the same book, printed at the same time.

It is frustrating that HarperCollins doesn't care about correct number-lines on the deluxe reprints. Fortunately the Chinese printing makes them fairly easy to detect.
28 Aug, 2016
2016-8-28 1:25:58 PM UTC
Is there any way to tell, from a sealed copy, whether it would be a first edition or a later one?

I know the foil stamping is a different colour on the China edition, but that is on the inner cover, not the out board (on which the foil seems to be same across all editions).

If I get this, I would prefer the first edition, or even a later edition, as long as it wasn't the China edition, simply because of the 3-foil stamping and the quality of the pages and binding that, as I understand, are better in the original edition.
28 Aug, 2016
2016-8-28 1:54:03 PM UTC
The only way that I know how to tell, is that if you buy the Alan Lee signed version it has a different ISBN which is visible through the sealed wrapping.

The ISBN is 978-0-00-723715-9 (978-0-00-728618-8 is the unsigned edition and the later reprints).

All the signed version are first printings, and are not printed in China.
28 Aug, 2016
2016-8-28 8:27:35 PM UTC
With clarifying that all the TftPR reprints are Chinese; If it isn't Chinese, it is a first print.
29 Aug, 2016
2016-8-29 1:07:30 PM UTC
Awesome! Thanks so much Trotter and Stu. This is exactly the information I was looking for.

You two rock \m/
10 Sep, 2016
2016-9-10 4:12:23 PM UTC
Apologies for asking so many questions... but did the other deluxe editions in this series (LOTR, Hobbit, Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, etc.) also have different ISBNs between their first editions and later ones?
10 Sep, 2016
2016-9-10 4:17:39 PM UTC
They're all the same editions, so no ISBN changes. PR only did that because of the signature; which is farcical, since it's not even on a signed plate or anything that distinguishes it from an unsigned edition that someone's put in front of AL. It makes little sense that it had its own ISBN.

BH
10 Sep, 2016
2016-9-10 10:56:14 PM UTC
Oh I didn't realize that. I guess I'm wondering how to determine if a book is a first edition or not based solely on the ISBN. The only reason I care is because of the paper and binding, which from what I've read, are better in the first editions.
10 Sep, 2016
2016-9-10 10:59:32 PM UTC
Sorry for being picky, but you're referring to different impressions or printings, not editions...

... but, no, you can't look at just the ISBN & determine what impression, of a particular edition, a given book is. You're going to need to look at copyright pages, or have knowledge of other factors (if there are any) that indicate what impression you're looking at. This isn't always possible with only one piece of information. For these HC editions you're referring to, I'd personally only go with copyright page identification.

BH
11 Sep, 2016
2016-9-11 4:48:01 AM UTC
Thanks for correcting me :) Indeed I've been referring to the impression/printing all along.
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