I'm with your wife on this one; personally I wouldn't buy a mis-bound copy; but that's just me.

On the other hand, I recently bought a one-volume de luxe Lee LotR, and was dismayed to find that it has a misprint - that is, a blank leaf where one of the illustrations ought to be. For a while i was torn between sending it back (tho' I didn't find the fault until some time after I bought it) and holding on to it because it was a very good price. The vendor hadn't mentioned it, and I don't suppose he knew anything about it. So, I still have the book. I'm hoping to catch up with Alan Lee again one day; and ask him to 'personalize' it, with an inscription on that page, or even a sketch - even if it's only a 'What! No Pic?' sort of 'Kilroy was Here' type picture.

Two stunning books, brought together in one box-set: http://collectingtolkien.blogspot.com ... ings-illustrated-box.html

Definitely one of my favourite editions!

Just a quick entry: http://collectingtolkien.blogspot.com ... -1996-illustrated-pb.html

note - some pics are posting upside-down, despite being the correct way up on file. Tying to flip them horizontally on file and re-submit doesn't change it either :(

My most expensive purchase yet: http://collectingtolkien.blogspot.com ... s-deluxe-illustrated.html

I must say this is one of my favourites as well. Its a lovely set and you can feel the quality holding and looking at it. Is £600 worth it ? In my mind you will pay what you feel happy with. Some will say no way , others will agree you got a bargain but overall a great addition.
I wont tell you what i paid ;)

Me neither. ( there were two sets for sale at the time - wish I'd bought the other set, too, now...)

*sigh

One of the things about being new to the collecting game is I missed the days when these books were new or cheap(er). Still, I am happy to pay £600 as it's not too much over the inflated RRP price. If I'd have bought it new in 92 it would have been £400 in today's money, so I'm adding around 50% which I think is fair.

If someone else got a bargain I'm happy for you :)

bruffyboy wrote:
One of the things about being new to the collecting game is I missed the days when these books were new or cheap(er). Still, I am happy to pay £600 as it's not too much over the inflated RRP price. If I'd have bought it new in 92 it would have been £400 in today's money, so I'm adding around 50% which I think is fair.

If someone else got a bargain I'm happy for you :)

But you could have bought this Abebooks bargain instead

https://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/9724 ... 3Dsigned%2526sortby%253D1

just slightly more than the 50% you paid

This is also one of my favourite sets of the LOTR, though I prefer the colour on the one volume deluxe. Having said that for me The Lord of the Rings should be red, The Hobbit green and The Silmarillion blue. HarperCollins got all the colours wrong on the illustrated deluxe versions

Just a (Hobbit-like) short one:

http://collectingtolkien.blogspot.com ... 6-deluxe-edition-2nd.html