Tolkien Collector's Guide
Sign In
Tolkien Collector's Guide
Important links:

Guide to Tolkien's Letters
-
Winner of the 2019 Tolkien Society award for Best Website

1...2829303132...162
4 Apr, 2021
2021-4-4 1:50:53 PM UTC

Fingon's hair wrote:

I would like to start the hunt for the HoME Hardbacks 1st/1st, what do you mean with "affordable prices" for that condition? Just to have an idea of what to expect and what to search for.

I assembled a set of HMCO HOME 1st/1sts some time back and am in the process doing the same for the UK set. If you don't mind spending you can put together a set pretty quickly, there is also the POD option from the official Tolkien book store.
This is a project that is going to take time and actively monitoring sale sites if you want to get deals on the individual volumes in fine condition. They do come up for sale periodically on Ebay, ABE and the like.

I haven't paid more than $75 for any of my HOME hardbacks UK or US.
4 Apr, 2021
2021-4-4 3:47:26 PM UTC

Bergelmir wrote:


Half of my Tolkien related collection is in French, and for a very simple reason... I'm French
I seriously started the collection in English only 2 years ago but I have made good progress since (fortunately, because since Brexit, it is much more expensive).
About the Folio Society, I guess it all depends on the purchase price. For my part, I was rather lucky because I bought all the books in 1 single sale for £ 250 all (book purchase + tax + delivery). Not bad, I think, when I see the current prices for reprints and the importance of taxes in that price.
That said, it all depends on your purchasing power and the importance you give to these books.

Merci! I still don't own any French editions, but I plan to own them some day! I like collecting books in languages I know a bit of/plan to learn one day. For example, I have Les Trois Mousquetaires, Vingt Ans après, Le comte de Monte-Cristo and Les Miserables in French.

And regarding FS, I still can't convince myself they are worth their high price. Maybe if I see one in person, I'd be convinced. Fellow Tolkien readers do think very high of them!
4 Apr, 2021 (edited)
2021-4-4 4:33:29 PM UTC

Mr. Underhill wrote:

I haven't paid more than $75 for any of my HOME hardbacks UK or US.

That means you still don't own War of the Jewels and Peoples of Middle-Earth (UK edition) or you have been really lucky

The Shaping of Middle-Earth is not quite easy to find, especially in fine condition.

In general, I see fewer and fewer 1st UK prints in fine condition, except some full sets that turn for years at insane prices...
4 Apr, 2021
2021-4-4 8:08:49 PM UTC

Emilien wrote:

Mr. Underhill wrote:

I haven't paid more than $75 for any of my HOME hardbacks UK or US.

That means you still don't own War of the Jewel and People of Middle-Earth (UK edition) or you have been really lucky

The Shaping of Middle-Earth is not quite easy to find, especially in fine condition.

In general, I see fewer and fewer 1st UK prints in fine condition, except some full sets that turn for years at insane prices...

LOL, no not either of those yet...but I'm always on the look out.
4 Apr, 2021
2021-4-4 8:58:22 PM UTC
Thanks for the answer Mr. Underhill, I'll start checking Ebay for prices near 65-70£, I'm only insterested in 1st/1st UK HoME hardbacks so I'll skip the PODs from Harper Collins, I would also like to avoid the BCA editions. However I am aware that for The War of the Jewels and Peoples I should look in another range of price for one in nice condition.
4 Apr, 2021
2021-4-4 9:58:08 PM UTC

Fingon's hair wrote:

Thanks for the answer Mr. Underhill, I'll start checking Ebay for prices near 65-70£, I'm only insterested in 1st/1st UK HoME hardbacks so I'll skip the PODs from Harper Collins, I would also like to avoid the BCA editions. However I am aware that for The War of the Jewels and Peoples I should look in another range of price for one in nice condition.

Regarding Sauron Defeated and Morgoth's Ring, if you want them in fine condition, you might also have to increase the bill a little bit, although not as much as for the last 2 of the series.
5 Apr, 2021
2021-4-5 12:10:40 AM UTC
I'm sure you're aware, but the on-demand facsimile hardback editions are designed to fit into one's library if the original edition(s) proves too difficult or pricey to obtain.
5 Apr, 2021
2021-4-5 1:39:02 AM UTC

Mr. Underhill wrote:



I haven't paid more than $75 for any of my HOME hardbacks UK or US.

I'd challenge you to find a PoME for this price, but I don't want you to find it before me!

insurrbution wrote:

I'm sure you're aware, but the on-demand facsimile hardback editions are designed to fit into one's library if the original edition(s) proves too difficult or pricey to obtain.

Aren't there some fair differences between the two? I recall the jackets in particular are having some QC issues, and are of a different design to the originals at any rate.
5 Apr, 2021
2021-4-5 2:25:16 AM UTC

Caudimordax wrote:

Mr. Underhill wrote:



I haven't paid more than $75 for any of my HOME hardbacks UK or US.

I'd challenge you to find a PoME for this price, but I don't want you to find it before me!

insurrbution wrote:

I'm sure you're aware, but the on-demand facsimile hardback editions are designed to fit into one's library if the original edition(s) proves too difficult or pricey to obtain.

Aren't there some fair differences between the two? I recall the jackets in particular are having some QC issues, and are of a different design to the originals at any rate.

There was a problem with the jackets, where the thickness of the books had been reproduced, but the jackets had not been correspondingly adjusted, which is now resolved. The PODs are a reasonable facsimile of the original, tbh. Biggest difference would be the boards are black, not blue for PoME. Also the gold logo and lines are more of a yellow/orange. The paper quality on WoJ and PoME 1sts is so bad, I'd be tempted to just go with the POD anyway.
5 Apr, 2021
2021-4-5 7:17:50 AM UTC

Fingon's hair wrote:

I would like to start the hunt for the HoME Hardbacks 1st/1st, what do you mean with "affordable prices" for that condition? Just to have an idea of what to expect and what to search for.

FWIW, I paid around £ 50 for each of the 3 books.
1...2829303132...162
Jump to Last
All original content ©2024 by the submitting authors. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Contact Us