General Topics >> Festival Art and Books still claiming HarperCollins used forged Christopher Tolkien signatures
Festival Art and Books still claiming HarperCollins used forged Christopher Tolkien signatures
1 hour ago
(edited)
2026-6-27 8:59:59 PM UTC
2026-6-27 8:59:59 PM UTC
Obviously the price here is as absurd as the repeatedly debunked claims.
On the one hand, he states categorically: " they were in fact signed by an assistant or member of staff."
And then he contradicts himself: "very unlikely his own real signature"
So which is it, categorically signed by someone else, or (just) unlikely signed by Tolkien?
Previous discussion where Mark Faith has made these false claims before: https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/n ... t_id=18578#forumpost18578
Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. First Edition. 1977 First edition with £4.95 on the flap indicating the UK edition. These are now quite rare. Fine, unread book and jacket with red in spine title still as cover. Signed by author/ editor JRR Tolkien's son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien who passed in 2020. There is some confusion over his signature. While Harper Collins sold certain deluxe editions signed and numbered by Christopher Tolkien, they were in fact signed by an assistant or member of staff. Still "official" and collectable as from the publisher as special editions, but very unlikely his own real signature or that he ever touched the books. At his age he was far too old to be signing thousands of books as likely he had arthritis etc. We know this from other elderly authors we have known of similar age. This book was signed around 1977 in his known style at the time. We will guarantee this with our company COA. Note, it is rumoured a film could be made of this book, but we have seen nothing announced. This would not have been possible in the past, but is possible now. The Amazon film series is part based on stories in the Silmarillion. There is a different international version with no UK price on the front flap and other features. Our opinion is the condition of the book matters most to the value, especially when most modern books suffer fading to the jacket spine colours. Nearly all the value is in the condition of the dust jacket. For a free copy of our Tolkien book collector guide, please ask. Signed by Author(s).
On the one hand, he states categorically: " they were in fact signed by an assistant or member of staff."
And then he contradicts himself: "very unlikely his own real signature"
So which is it, categorically signed by someone else, or (just) unlikely signed by Tolkien?
Previous discussion where Mark Faith has made these false claims before: https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/n ... t_id=18578#forumpost18578
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