Urulöké wrote:
Well, looking at what they did for the collector's edition of "Marks of Genius":
This Collector’s Edition of Marks of Genius designed in the Bodleian Library is quarterbound in Nigerian goatskin with gold tooling and blind blocking on the spine and front cover, and comes with a matching blocked, lined slipcase.

That's what I expect this edition to have too - a really nice binding and slipcase in high end materials of some sort. So I expect the higher price will include that in addition to the booklet and facsimile "sheets".

I certainly hope you are correct! But that certainly wasn't suggested in the blurb we have already seen, which suggested a cloth binding (and no mention of a slipcase, unless I missed it?). Happy to play this one by ear, and if it does eventuate as a really high-end item (and not more expensive than the £275), I'll certainly jump back in. In the meantime, I'll remain content with looking forward to the content of the book (in whatever edition), which is really the important thing.

I intend to go to the exhibition as close to its opening as possible, so am in a nice position to be able to buy from the shop, and look at the books before I decide what to get. The deluxe would have to be very good though to make me look at paying £275 for it.

And if it is really nice, you're going to spend £275 on a copy that's been sitting in a bookshop & undoubtedly fingered through by passing browsers?!

Madness! Unless of course you think they'll have shrinkwrapped copies kicking around, which I think unlikely...

BH

They normally have one open copy for people to look at, and shrink-wrapped copies to buy, won't buy the open copy

The Bodleian were good as their word and have already refunded my credit card. I certainly have no complaints with their handling of the listing mistake.

Cancelled my order last night & the refund process went through this morning; as Stu said, very promptly handled. I cited the lack of features in comparison to the Marks of Genius edition (as an example); not signed, no slipcase, no goatskin binding, and £75 more expensive (MoG was only published two years ago). Will keep an eye on whether things change but not holding my breath.

BH

Yeah, I can't see any reason whatsoever to go beyond the standard hardback edition at this stage. I'm not bothered about having something just because it is there and has a limitation.

I think I’m settling for the standard hardback too. The deluxe is completely out of my price range - I would’ve pushed to get it if there were something unique about it, but I simply can’t justify splurging only for a couple extra art prints and a cloth binding.

Eorl wrote:
I think I’m settling for the standard hardback too. The deluxe is completely out of my price range - I would’ve pushed to get it if there were something unique about it, but I simply can’t justify splurging only for a couple extra art prints and a cloth binding.

No it's odd. I wonder if they are just catering to the rich-guy-who-visits-the-exhibition market, really, rather than traditional collectors per-sé. I imagine they have quite a good handle on how their exhibitions drive their sales of related works. Plus they obviously made a conscious decision to downgrade the offering from their original ideas.

Yeah, and I also feel (though I may be wrong) that Tolkien items do seem to have a bit of a premium or markup above the average cost of other books/collectibles/etc.

I suppose they’re assured there’s always some subset of fans who will buy items without giving too much thought to the value for money.