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Thus, should you expand your Tolkien collection to include all matching leather-bound limited editions, it would not have the same majestic impression as the first prints of the current Deluxe range (in my own personal and experienced opinion). Save your money! If what you mean is the (dark black) leather luxury editions of the early 2000's then sure - this is a collection worth having and the books are excellently and outstandingly well made - yet not all books produced in this format are of the same height. It is cheaply made with low-end material. That is both in terms of overall production/quality and bookcase display.īe ware! If by "clothbound version" you mean and imply the one with the "tree illustration" that runs across the 3 LOTR books: do not fall for it. Nevertheless, I do consider and regard the first thus / first print of the current Deluxe Slipcase Collection - most printed and bound in Italy, some in the UK - to be at the definitive top of the scale. Regarding the special editions and deluxe versions: it is obviously and evidently all a matter of personal taste and biased opinions. If the books being offered were printed and bound in China, it would be advisable and recommendable to save your hard-earned valuable money to purchase better items or goods.

However, the trained and true collector would contemplate and consider asking the seller the following question: where were the 3 books printed and bound? ("Published in the UK" means absolutely nothing). My fellow redditor, worry not, I - a true collector - am back to help and assist with any questions, comments, and/or concerns!Ĭonsidering the indisputable fact that the exceptionally magnificent and sought-after 4-book set (which includes the spectacular and sublime Reader's Companion and stylish housing box) sold extremely recently for circa $400, £40 would certainly and irrefutably sound like a decent deal for the 3 stand-alone books. What's currently on sale is printed in China and is of mediocre quality compared to the superb first prints made in Italy - so you'd have to go on the expensive second-hand market to get a copy that's worthy of your money. However, same issue as with the standard version. Your best bet would be to buy them separate unless you have a lot of money and patience.įor the purpose of collecting, The Deluxe Slipcased versions look best on the shelve and there are 8 other matching deluxe books by Tolkien. I think the 4-book set 50th Anniversary Edition would be of the same quality as my UK-printed Hobbit - thus recommended, but will cost you way too much if you get them as a set (if you can even find it). In contrast, I own the matching Hobbit printed in the UK with gold foil letters/monogram on the dust jacket and it is truly superb. I do not recommend you spend money on this. Out of the standard versions, the current 4-book set on .uk is printed in China and the quality is disappointing. Note: My copy was printed in Belgium, though maybe current copies are being print in China or Hong Kong. I would think they are the ones with the best value for non-collectors (inexpensive, decent paper, big illustrations) and make for really nice reading copies.

If you just want books to read, I would recommend the Alan Lee illustrated version of which exist a matching illustrated Hobbit and Silmarillion. I've started collecting just recently and maybe I'm repeating some info from earlier comments, but here's my 2 cents: If you are really after the books primarily to read, they cost next to nothing second-hand in a variety of bindings. I personally prefer 3 volume above one volume, in terms of usability. If I had to pick a set, I'd be looking for a used 50th Anniversary 3 volume (rather than the 60th). I personally believe that despite the minor improvements to the text, more recent editions are manifestly worse than some of the slightly earlier editions. My copy seems quite well put together, other than the plastic slipcase which is a bit rubbish. The one volume illustrated is - unsurprisingly - also Chinese printed, but in that case has always been so as it a fairly recently updated version. I've heard mention of odd odours and grubby jackets on the current prints. The 4 book set you show is now also printed in China (early impressions were also printed in Italy) and is not as good as earlier prints. The HarperCollins one volume deluxe is now printed in China (early impressions were printed in Italy) and is not as good as the early prints (which were quite nice). It really depends on what you want it for to read?, to look nice on the shelf?