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The 'unseen' Silmarillion Dummy
31 May
2025-5-31 5:28:56 AM UTC
2025-5-31 5:28:56 AM UTC
I recently acquired a Silmarillion Dummy and after searching for more information I came across this forum which in turn someone had linked to this blog post: Silmarillion Minutiae
The writer goes into detail of an unseen 'Currey Dummy 'A''. I believe that my copy matches that description - with the redacted ISBN, 23 Chapters, imprint. The exception is that mine has the (approximate) price on the dust jacket.
I've tried to note some other variations - it has different pagination with the foreward beginning page 3 instead of 7. This means the non-blank pages end at p.29 (equivalent of p.33 if it was a standard numbering). The binding is different, it is hard to tell in the photo (and in real life) as it's so faded but it looks like rhe spine has the title almost identical to the spine of the dust jacket. While it has the blank map to the rear, it doesn't have the other map printed within the blank pages.
The writer goes into detail of an unseen 'Currey Dummy 'A''. I believe that my copy matches that description - with the redacted ISBN, 23 Chapters, imprint. The exception is that mine has the (approximate) price on the dust jacket.
I've tried to note some other variations - it has different pagination with the foreward beginning page 3 instead of 7. This means the non-blank pages end at p.29 (equivalent of p.33 if it was a standard numbering). The binding is different, it is hard to tell in the photo (and in real life) as it's so faded but it looks like rhe spine has the title almost identical to the spine of the dust jacket. While it has the blank map to the rear, it doesn't have the other map printed within the blank pages.
Thank you for getting in touch with the blog author. He has helped pick out some further differences:
The subtitle to the QUENTA SILMARILLION on p.29 is "Lamps of the Valar give Light" which is not as published - "The History of the Silmarils". He mentioned that this has been seen before in a specimen made for GA&U by Clowes. However, the title page does have the as-published sub-title but with a typo - SILMARIS.
The rear flap of the dust jacket makes no mention of the illustrations (and also has the full ISBN).
Also, the map is fixed in a way that it cannot be unfolded
The subtitle to the QUENTA SILMARILLION on p.29 is "Lamps of the Valar give Light" which is not as published - "The History of the Silmarils". He mentioned that this has been seen before in a specimen made for GA&U by Clowes. However, the title page does have the as-published sub-title but with a typo - SILMARIS.
The rear flap of the dust jacket makes no mention of the illustrations (and also has the full ISBN).
Also, the map is fixed in a way that it cannot be unfolded
Halbarad wrote:
I’m confused. I don’t see any evidence whatsoever that Foxrooks copy has any pages removed.. His isn’t the same copy mentioned in the blog post. It looks very much like all the signatures are there.
If I may : we clearly see on this picture that some signatures are missing : there's a lack of paper where the headband is "floating" a bit.
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