Identifying the impression number of ROTK HMCO 1st
2 Feb
2023/2/2 15:14:01 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
2023/2/2 15:14:01 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Hi all,
I'm looking for some guidance...I've just got hold of a 1st edition ROTK published by HMCO, and it is entirely lacking any date information (title page and copyright page).
Going by the very helpful detail on www.tolkienbooks.us, it looks like this means I have either a 4th or a 5th impression. So my question is - is there an easy way to determine which it is?
And by easy I guess I mean other than getting hold of the Steven Frisby article from The Tolkien Collector
Matt
I'm looking for some guidance...I've just got hold of a 1st edition ROTK published by HMCO, and it is entirely lacking any date information (title page and copyright page).
Going by the very helpful detail on www.tolkienbooks.us, it looks like this means I have either a 4th or a 5th impression. So my question is - is there an easy way to determine which it is?
And by easy I guess I mean other than getting hold of the Steven Frisby article from The Tolkien Collector
Matt
Very difficult to tell these apart as they are almost identical in every way. There are some subtle hints, that I have seen through trial and error and are by no means definitive. The '58 corresponds directly with the GA&U 4th Print which HMCO imported 1000 sheets, in December 1958, these copies were converted to Houghton Mifflin copies by use of a cancel fold. The '59 corresponds to the GA&U 5th print which again HMCO imported 1000 sheets, and In February 1960, these copies were converted to Houghton Mifflin copies by use what was probably? (not sure) a 4-page cancel fold.
I have included two auctions with images of what is believed to be 4th and 5th prints, notice the bindings are slightly different textured. You could compare yours with these and that might solve your puzzle. At least would be a start Without the Tolkien Collector Vol. 22, it's a lot of guesswork.
https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/auctions/274123195070 4th print (most likely)
https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/auctions/184038963337 5th print (most likely)
Hope this helps.
I have included two auctions with images of what is believed to be 4th and 5th prints, notice the bindings are slightly different textured. You could compare yours with these and that might solve your puzzle. At least would be a start
Without the Tolkien Collector Vol. 22, it's a lot of guesswork. https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/auctions/274123195070 4th print (most likely)
https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/auctions/184038963337 5th print (most likely)
Hope this helps.
Thank you! The binding on mine looks more like the (probable) fourth.
I'm looking at some scans of pages of known fourth and fifth impressions by GA&U, which I've been able to find from other auctions. I need to do some more work but there might be some nicks or splodges in the text that I can cross-reference 🧐
I'm looking at some scans of pages of known fourth and fifth impressions by GA&U, which I've been able to find from other auctions. I need to do some more work but there might be some nicks or splodges in the text that I can cross-reference 🧐
...and not that it has anything to do with the impression number, but I couldn't help noticing that this HMCO ROTK seemed quite heavy. In fact it's c. 110 grams heavier (c. 18%!) than my 1st/2nd GA&U ROTK - no idea if that's down to the weight of the paper, or the boards, or a combination.
The only other comparison I can run is between a HMCO TT 1st/3rd and a GA&U TT 1st/2nd, and there the difference is negligible (only a few grams).
The only other comparison I can run is between a HMCO TT 1st/3rd and a GA&U TT 1st/2nd, and there the difference is negligible (only a few grams).
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