Tolkien Collectors E-Book Now Available

The Tolkien Collector's Guide is designed to steer the collector away from the notion that everything Tolkien is valuable and will appreciate, regardless of age or condition and what makes one example more valuable than another. It is easy to identify Tolkien editions and printings, but there is a minefield of misinformation and fake information on various websites and in known guides, especially now with AI search results. There are no surviving records from the original publisher Allen & Unwin so all publishing information is secondhand. Drawing on his 30 plus years of experience as a collector and specialist dealer the author sets out what to look for at both ends of the market, the super rare, and the more affordable for the enthusiast. Given that perfection is by now unattainable, the reader will learn which defects are acceptable and which are not, with the intricacies of the sequence of publication for the early editions set out. The implications of repair and restoration are also covered. The guide goes beyond the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy to consider other fiction and non-fiction works, as well as the later slip-cased and deluxe editions of the former.
Advice on what to buy is complimented by advice on where to buy and the pitfalls of buying at auction or from non-specialised dealers are considered. The impact on the market and values of the various film dramatisations on the market is another theme. Are the myriad Harper-Collins reprints they inspired worth collecting? All the important technical details the buyer might need to know regarding the complex variety of editions, printings, states etc. are presented in this little guide.
It will be sent by email as a Word Document within three days of purchase. Includes a 10% discount on your next order over £500 total made before January 31st, 2026, so the true cost of the guide is free. Details on redeeming the discount will be in the guide.
You can buy the guide as a Christmas gift for your favorite Tolkien Collector. The guide assumes you have familiarity with the history of Tolkien's published works. If you are thinking of buying an item from us as a gift and would like some advice where to start, feel free to contact us.

28 Felindre
Pennal, Machynlleth SY20 9DZ
United Kingdom
markfaith@festivalartandbooks.com
MOB +44 7748980700

I am not a general book dealer or new start-up jumping on the Tolkien fandom bandwagon. I've been a Tolkien rare book specialist for 23 years. I do not list a couple of Tolkien's editions to use as loss leaders to attract you to a general bookshop as do nearly all dealers. I was an enthusiastic collector prior to starting my Tolkien book business. I have been a fan and private collector for over 40 years. I have personally seen many thousands of actual copies, not just photographs on the internet like many Tolkien collector's fan websites. These sites depend mostly on conventional wisdom for authentication, what they think is correct because it's not yet been shown to be otherwise. This does not make it true. The publisher's records are long lost.

This release was published on openPR.