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21 Nov, 2008
2008-11-21 9:11:35 AM UTC
Of course there were at some times Americans coming over to the UK and some even followed courses given by Tolkien. And some did acquire an autograph by Tolkien, but there are only a few.

I have seen about 3 American signed books, who are for sure genuine and have a very good provenance. All others I have seen so far, must be about 30 or so are all fakes. Like this one...
21 Nov, 2008
2008-11-21 9:36:02 AM UTC
(Beren) ...and what about paperbacks in regard to Tolkien signatures? Did Tolkien sign many?

BH
21 Nov, 2008
2008-11-21 9:42:11 AM UTC
Never seen any US paperback with a autograph that was genuine. Actually, they all have 'one thing' in common. They tend to copy the autograph that is on the back. Funny thing since that signature is a much earlier signature and when Tolkien 'would' have signed the book, it would be a much different autograph he would use.

By the time for example this paperback was published, his autograph was no longer looking like the one printed on the back of it. So any real signed paperback would have Tolkien's 'flowing autograph' and not this one.
21 Nov, 2008
2008-11-21 1:28:51 PM UTC
You beat me to it, garm - I saw that early this morning, and was going to mention it here!

- wellinghall
21 Nov, 2008
2008-11-21 9:21:58 PM UTC
By the way, Tolkien used to refuse to sign most paperbacks. There is for example the story of Denys Gueroult, BBC radio producer. Whilst working for the Sound Archive Department in the 1960's he mangaged with great difficulty to organise an interview with Tolkien in his North Oxford home. The interview lasted about half an hour and in Gueroult's words "not very much occurred", but Tolkien agreed to sign Gueroult's copy of The Hobbit and his copy of The Return of the King. Gueroult's colleague, the journalist and writer Derek Parker, was also present but Tolkien refused to sign his paperback copy of The Lord of the Rings as there were 600 mistakes in that edition and not good enough.
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