Lord of the rings trilogy

http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=45300

That's the one volume paperback edition from 1973, the 13th impression. It's a common edition and there are plenty to be found on eBay, AbeBooks and elsewhere. It certainly wouldn't be worth more than $10 USD unless it was in really nice condition. The 1st impressions from 1968 can go for quite a bit more, but later impressions like this aren't as 'collectible'. Still... in my opinion it's a great edition with that classic Baynes artwork.

I have a similar edition, only it's hardcover:

Oh, and signed.

Anyone have any idea what this might fetch these days?

I think my signed 1968 paperback is about £5000, but it is just signed and not inscribed, and is the 1st printing, not sure if the inscription decreases the value in this case.

What do people think about inscriptions, do they add or decrease value on a J.R.R. Tolkien signed item?

I'd agree with Trotter's value estimate.

For inscriptions, my personal opinion is that it adds a bit more confidence in authenticity (more handwriting to analyze, some hint of history for provenance). I don't think it adds value per se unless the inscription itself is to someone "important" ie has meaning to third parties, not just the one it is signed to.

This is for Tolkien signed items, of course. For living authors, I feel that inscriptions subtract value for anyone not the recipient (again unless to someone "important"). I still get my books inscribed to me when I do meet authors, though, as I value the memory/interaction more than the resale value, personally.

I have some supporting provenance documents from the previous owner, so in this case I think the inscription is actually a good thing.

I also find it poignant that it was inscribed on July 15th, 1973 — less than two months before Tolkien died....

That's a beautiful signature there, Trotter!

I strongly suspect that this:

Iain Torrance

is the Iain Torrance to whom my copy was inscribed. He says his father was a friend of Tolkien; and the father of the aforelinked Iain Torrance:

Thomas F. Torrance

was at Oriel College in 1939-40.