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The modest beginnings of my collection

24 Dec, 2025
2025-12-24 11:31:23 PM UTC

I will use this as a way of introduction. My name is Chris, I live on in the West Coast of the United States in Oregon state and am in my mid-40s. I've been a Tolkien fan since my pre-teen years and that love was reinvigorated in the early 00s with the release of the Peter Jackson films.
I have very casually collected Tolkien books for well over 20 years, but just recently really upped that trend. All of the centenary boxed set releases really caught me, they're just so beautifully produced. So my collection has easily tripled or quadrupled in the past couple months.
Here is my very modest Tolkien shelf as of today (there are a few more volumes on the way currently). Nothing spectacular, but it makes me quite happy.
Book collecting is just one of my hobbies (I'm also a huge LEGO collector as well as music) and I keep it mostly focused to just a few authors (Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, and Michael Crichton being the others). My discretionary budget is spread across a number of things, so books will likely never be a ginormous spending category for me, so you won't likely see me pulling in lots of rare and expensive items.
I've been a casual reader of the forum for a number of years, but just recently joined up and decided to actually participate in the discussions. I'm happy I did so!

6348_694c756ae54ca.jpg 2268X4032 px
25 Dec, 2025
2025-12-25 12:24:16 AM UTC
Hi Chris and welcome!

That is a gorgeous collection you have there and I can definitely related to the sense of having a rapidly growing collection, yet not spending a fortune on many rarities.

I am a bit curious about some titles. What is the book on shelf #2 to the left of the art of the Hobbit? It is a bit obscured by the edge of the bookcase. How about the one to the right?

Do you have a favorite edition? What titles are on its way?
25 Dec, 2025 (edited)
2025-12-25 1:31:40 AM UTC
Thank you for the compliments EmilK!

Shelf 2 left to right is Artist & Illustrator, Art of the Hobbit, Art of the Lord of the Rings, and Pictures by Tolkien, then to the very right of that shelf is the centenary edition of Letters from Father Christmas.

As for a favorite edition, right now I think that would be the facsimile Hobbit followed by the Tolkien illustrated editions.

I'm not super thrilled with the overhanging lips on my bookshelves. I think eventually I'll want to go to a shelf without any overhangs.
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