Well I've been charged from Amazon.co.uk and order has updated to shipping today. Considering I ordered this back in 2011 (shortly after an article about it on TolkienLibrary showed up).

I had pretty much wrote off this edition ever being published, especially after that massive (at the time, with a much higher MSRP) price drop that Amazon had for a brief window.

I placed my Amazon order so long ago that it used, not my current credit card, nor my previous card, but the one before that.

- wellinghall

I ordered from Amazon.com because of cheaper shipping than Amazon UK and bad experience with BD (terribly poor packaging on a big order; much more difficult to get a refund/replacement than Amazon). Last update was an email a few days ago saying the order was delayed.

The Facebook post informing of the release of the facsimile Hobbit and 2017 Calendar has more than 10k likes which, even if obviously won't translate 1:1 to sales, give it visibility to the general public .

I have had very bad luck ordering HC books through Amazon.com - many times, the order just dies (no longer available). I understand that HC doesn't ship directly to Amazon.com, as they don't have US distribution rights on these titles.

Sometimes I will order through Amazon.ca as that shipping isn't too bad, and HC can distribute there.

Urulöké wrote:
I have had very bad luck ordering HC books through Amazon.com - many times, the order just dies (no longer available). I understand that HC doesn't ship directly to Amazon.com, as they don't have US distribution rights on these titles.

Sometimes I will order through Amazon.ca as that shipping isn't too bad, and HC can distribute there.

Same, had 2 or 3 HC Deluxe editions end up delayed and then cancelled with "product not available" while Amazon.co.uk still has them in stock that I just go there now.

Always forget to check Amazon.ca

Amusingly, just looked at the Amazon.ca listing again and noticed that it still says

Included in this box is a nicely bound hardback edition of The Hobbit and a collection of eight colour postcards featuring some of Tolkien's own artwork. Tolkien himself makes yet another guest appearance on an exclusive CD which features a recording of Tolkien reading an extract from Bilbo's first encounter with the terrifying Gollum. Lastly, there is a beautifully painted foldout map of Wilderland by John Howe with text by Brian Sibley.

Yeah, BD still has the old description. Asking for trouble (and refund requests), I fear.

Could you by any chance post a picture giving us a glimpse of the maps? Thanks so much!

Yep, have also uploaded one which shows the correct colour misregistration (if you look at the commercial facsimiles, all the misregistration is removed and the runes are kind of marker-penish)

The map looks very good, the picture does show the issue that I pointed out about the cloth binding. You can see part of the mountains on the top right of the picture, this does not appear on the 1st Impression.