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5 Nov, 2011
2011-11-5 4:31:25 PM UTC
Hello to All -

Updated the Calendar of the Month feature for November at:

www.tolkiencalendars.com

Hope you enjoy it!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parm
27 Dec, 2011
2011-12-27 1:37:29 PM UTC
Hello to All -

Updated the Calendar of the Month feature for January at:

www.tolkiencalendars.com

Not to spoil the surpise, but thought it appropriate to feature a calendar with illustrations done by JRRT himself as his birthday occurs in January.

Am back after an unexpected hiatus. Had BIG problems with my host/server and was worried for weeks that it had disappeared. But a colleague recovered it, switched hosts, and backed it all up for me. (Isn't it always whom you know rather than what?) For which, I could not be more grateful. It was a wonderful Christmas present!

Happy New Year to all!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir
27 Dec, 2011
2011-12-27 1:53:05 PM UTC
Parmastahir

Glad you got everything moved across

Thanks for posting the Calendar updates (much appreciated by all) and Happy New Year.

Trotter
28 Nov, 2013
2013-11-28 6:02:02 PM UTC
Same seller is offering Tim Kirk 1969 Calendar again. :)

I've read on
http://www.tolkiencalendars.com/1969_1977.html
that it is a very rare one.
However, it seems that this seller has mutiple calendars for offer.
What do you guys think, how much is it worth?
30 Nov, 2013
2013-11-30 2:37:59 PM UTC
Parmastahir? Anyone? Is it worth buying?
30 Nov, 2013
2013-11-30 9:04:53 PM UTC
Hi Lokki,

This (Tim Kirk 69) Tolkien calendar has quite a bit going for it - the first Tolkien calendar (predates all of the official ones), very few copies, well made, and nice artwork to boot. The ones the current seller has (no idea how many) seem to be coming from the files of one of the fan publishers of the zine it came from, so they are in really nice shape.

From what I have seen recently, these are going for a few hundred dollars and up on eBay. If the market gets flooded with many copies, that price will come down, obviously, but there cannot be too many copies to begin with. If you are a Tolkien calendar collector, this is a must have issue for your collection, but patience will always be rewarded if you work hard.
1 Dec, 2013
2013-12-1 6:28:37 PM UTC
From what I've read that the seller posted and the events as they have unfolded:

First auction of this calendar from this seller ended 13 November. After 20 bids, it sold for US$325. They represented it from the files of Ken Rudolph, stored flat for all those years, and essentially mint condition. As the first one went for that price, the seller must think that they can get the same for the next one (or will at least try with a Buy It Now offer at $325.) Bidders can also make an offer on it which seller can accept or refuse.

Sooooo ... To the question, how much is it worth? As I say on my website, it's worth whatever a buyer and seller agree upon. I have seen these appear once or twice a year over the last three - four years. One went in a bidders' frenzy for over $800. I got a bargain (seemingly) when I found one completely mint in the original Meretricious Christmas Supplement (Dec 1968) for "only" $235.

So Jeremy's comments are spot on. If you are a collector, this a must have. They are limited in number (unknown. Even Tim Kirk could not remember how many they made.) They do appear now and then. But these are mint (and the fanzine can be found without it to make a set.) Could you find another for less $$$? Perhaps. But as they say on "American Pickers," the time to buy something rare is when it's right in front of you.

I'd suggest trying the "Make an Offer" option and feel out the seller. Start out "low" (less than $325.) You can always go higher if they refuse. There are currently seven watchers. Others may have already made such offers. That gives the seller a feel for what they can get for it. And, who knows how many extra copies were in Ken's files?

Good luck! Post further questions/comments. I'll be watching.
1 Dec, 2013
2013-12-1 9:39:31 PM UTC
Thank you very much Jeremy, thank you very much Parmastahir!

I really appreciate your help, it means a lot to me as I started my Tolkien collecting only 4 months ago (alhough I am a Tolkien fan since I was 10 :) ). I am a huge bibliophile and already have a small library at my home (history books, sf and fantasy, philosophy..). Tolkien is my new project :). So, I will definitely try to get this calendar, I cannot agree more with both of you! I've read that only 500 of them were made initially, so I doubt that more than 50 are available today. In the great book ''The J. R. R. Tolkien Companion and Guide'' from Mr. Hammond and Ms. Scull I didn't find much information on Tim Kirk and that calendar, so your info was very helpful to me. I still have to read their ''J.R.R. Tolkien: A Descriptive bibliography'' though.
I will see, maybe I start collecting calendars, it is a great hobby to have. My current priority is to collect old Tolkieniana published prior to Tolkien's death, I want to preserve it for the future, we will see how things will develop. :)
2 Dec, 2013
2013-12-2 3:20:04 AM UTC
Hulloo Loki - You are more than welcome for comments. Best of luck with this one! Only one other piece of advice, more so a caveat: Beware the collecting bug! I knew not where it would take me once it bit. However, I would not change anything. Yes, I have spent far more than I ever thought I would. But the friendships that have resulted are more valuable and fun than the calendars themselves.

Phil
3 Dec, 2013
2013-12-3 1:00:17 AM UTC
The seller accepted a $250 offer price on one of the copies just a bit ago:

eBay Item #111217126423
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