| At first, I was skeptical
that the books were first editions, mostly because the seller did
not present sufficient detail about the books and did not refer to
the unique points that usually characterize a first printing. Since
I have never been in the position of trying to verify the first editions
of these books, I turned to the major reference in this area: Wayne
Hammond's, J. R. R. Tolkien: A Descriptive Bibliography (1993; New
Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Books). After reading his section on the Allen & Unwin first edition, I came to the conclusion that the major
distinguishing feature of a first printing was the presence of uncorrected
script on the title page. According to Hammond, Tolkien made a few
errors but decided to live with them rather than stop the presses.
Corrections were then used in the second printings of FOTR, TT and
in the first printing of Return of the King. I scanned the picture
in Hammond and sent this as an e-mail attachment to the seller. Sure
enough, the seller indicated that the title page was uncorrected (The
seller also thought the Tengwar was Greek). I was almost hoping the
books were not first printings. If they were not, I could avoid what
I knew was going to be a major fight over the bidding for these. Now,
I had to figure out what was a reasonable price. I had seen first
editions of the complete set at antiquarian book dealer web sites
for thousands of dollars. The copies on the auction had no dustjackets
and I was not sure of the condition since the seller provided so little
detail and I could not actually examine the books. However, armed
with the knowledge that these were likely first printings and probably
worth a considerable sum even in the worst condition, I turned my
attention to auction strategy.
An item runs on Ebay
for up to seven days. The seller enters a listing at the Ebay web
site that includes a text description, optional picture, minimum
bid, reserve bid, item location and other details. Bidders enter
amounts on a form at the web site. At the end of the auction period,
the highest bidder takes the item. Seller and high bidder then communicate
using e-mail to complete the transaction. In computer terms, Ebay
is maintaining a large database of items that is periodically updated
by the bidders and sellers. At present, there are an amazing 530,000+
items auctioned off every seven days. Items include everything from
Bronze-age weapons to real estate.
A typical auction strategy
is to wait until the very last moments of an auction and enter in
a high bid. In this way, the auction may close and you win the item
before other bidders can enter a bid higher than yours. This bidding
strategy is called "sniping". It is very effective because
people are naturally inclined to bid low. The only way to counter
this strategy is to place extremely high bids or snipe the item
yourself. Unfortunately, the most desirable items are associated
with a flurry of last-minute sniping by a large number of bidders.
Some enterprising Ebay bidders have even designed computer software
that automates sniping. I certainly expected a snipe attack given
the desirable nature of the first editions and the general behavior
of the hard-core Tolkien collectors lurking on Ebay (myself among
the party).
The early bidding on
the books topped off at $85 and stayed there for five days. My plan
was to enter a $410 bid during the last 30 seconds of the auction.
Now, the very last seconds of the auction were approaching: one
minute, then 30 seconds. My bid was all set to go. My cursor was
hovering over the Submit button. One mouseclick and my commitment
would fly through cyberspace. At 20 seconds, I made the click and
hoped for a win. By the time my bid was processed, the auction interval
was essentially over. I went back to the item listing and discovered,
to my chagrin, that two other bidders jumped in right after me,
both with higher bids than mine - sniped again! So it goes. I perform
another search for all the stuff I collect and then call it a night.
In the words of Scarlet O'Hara: "Tomorrow is another day".
Some Tips on Using
Ebay
The first step is to
log onto the Ebay site. (www.ebay.com). You will notice a multitude
of categories, everything from pre-Columbian artifacts to computer
equipment. You will probably peruse these out of curiosity. I also
recommend reading through the general Ebay documents at the Ebay
Welcome Wagon. In the early days of the auction, I actually used
to review listings. Now, with 500,000 items available, this is impossible.
I go right to the Search function and use it to find sets of items
that interest me. The key to Tolkien collecting on Ebay is using
the correct search terms and format. Here is the best search entry
for Tolkien items: (Tolkien,Hobbit,"Lord of the Rings","Middle
Earth","Middle-earth"). You must include the parentheses.
This search string will find any item that contains these terms
in the title or description. Fortunately, Tolkien is such an unusual
name that it will not appear in anything that is outside the interest
of the Tolkien collector. Here is the next string: (Gandalf,Galadriel,Aragorn,Gimli,Frodo,Samwise,Barliman,Legolas,Tolkein,Tolkin)
-Tolkien -Lord. This will search for the names of the major characters
without including the results of the previous search. This search
is handy for items that refer only to the character name, such as
Royal Doulton figures. Royal Doulton collectors and dealers often
do not think to put the terms Tolkien, Middle-Earth and Lord of
the Rings in their item title or descriptions. This search will
also pick up items for which the seller has entered the wrong spelling
for Tolkien's name.
Here is a recent listing
of Tolkien-related items on Ebay that was created using these search
strategies. There are approximately 100 Tolkien-related items up
for bidding at any one time.
Key:
Item#,Item Title,Current Bid Price,#Bids,Ending Date & Time
21294878 Brothers Hildebrandt 1 Card Set [PIC!],$3.00,1,07/21,13:43
21299436 CED THE HOBBIT,$5.00, 0,07/21,14:18
21335479 Lord of the Rings 2lp Picture disc's,$10.00,0,07/21,18:12
21369121 MIDDLE EARTH LIMITED ED ccg ,$12.50, 1,07/21,20:40
21889612 ** LORD OF THE RINGS ** on VHS,$15.50,7,07/22,02:30
21413160 The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck & Book, Set,$15.00,1,07/22
21678394 76 Limited Middle Earth CCG Cards,$12.00,1,07/22,11:17
21678765 Two Middle Earth Promo Cards,$7.00, 0,07/22,11:21
21679107 Un-opened Middle Earth the Dragons,$5.00,1,07/22,11:24
21461869 Middle Earth CCG Dw. Ring of Bavor's,$2.00,0,07/22,16:59
21462237 Middle Earth CCG Wizards Fell Beast,$3.00, 1,07/22, 17:02
21462681 Middle E Wizards Khamul the Easterling,$3.00,0,07/22,17:05
21463034 Middle Earth Wizards Wizard's Fire,$2.00, 0,07/22,17:07
21463455 Middle Earth Dragons Known to An Ounce,$2.00,1,07/22,17:10
21463685 1ST ED. - THE SILMARILLION ,$6.00, 0,07/22, 17:11
21463910 Middle Earth Wizards Lim. Silent Watcher,$2.00,0,07/22,17:12
21485559 Middle Earth "Dragons" Booster 36,$24.99, 0,07/22,19:07
21486020 Middle Earth Dark Minions Booster 36 Pks,$24.99,1,07/22,19:10
21538859 Lord Of The Rings soundtrack--pic disc!!,$15.00,8,07/23,08:27
21551720 Middle Earth: White Hand Booster Box $36.89, 9,07/23,10:54
21593869 TOLKIEN SET BOOKS [PIC!],$9.99, 0,07/23,17:16
21596910 COMPLETE GUIDE TO MIDDLE EARTH,$5.00,0,07/23,17:35
21599912 J.R.R. Tolkien Middle Earth Map Puzzle,$21.50, 9,07/23,17:54
21616494 Famous Monsters #151 - G/VG [PIC!],$4.00,1,07/23,19:19
21625117 MIDDLE EARTH: THE WIZARDS,$3.00, 0,07/23, 20:00
21626157 The ANNOTATED HOBBIT HC/DJ,$9.99,1,07/23,20:05
21629200 Tolkien Poster - "Lord of the Rings",$16.00,
6,07/23,20:22
21638123 Tolkien,The Authorized Biography,1st, HB,$6.00,0,07/23,21:16
21638509 Middle Earth CCG - Elf-Lord Revealed,$6.00, 0,07/23,21:19
21638998 Middle Earth CCG - Chill Them With Fear,$7.00,0,07/23,21:23
21887526 ** THE LORD OF THE RINGS ** on CED,$9.95, 0,07/24,00:22
21888954 J.R.R. Tolkien's THE HOBBIT on CED,$4.95,0,07/24,01:34
21652122 Middle Earth Dragons Expansion Booster,$10.50, 2,07/24,01:37
21665926 Fionavar Tapestry (3 books) by Guy Kay,$4.25,3,07/24,08:34
21906943 2 picture disc LP record ,$19.99,0,07/24,08:56,
21675250 LP-Tolkien Reads & Sings from The Hobbit,$8.50,5,07/24,10:41
21676041 LP-Read by Tolkien from Lord of the Rings $5.00,1,07/24,10:50
21681146 Middle Earth Limited 250-card lot,$13.01,5,07/24,11:47
21684607 LORD of the RINGS Audio, $39.99 ,0,07/24,12:22
21699667 Middle Earth Ltd. Wiz. Lot #1 Rare Sites,$9.99 ,0,07/24,14:59
21700113 Middle Earth CCG Dwar. Rings Set.,$9.99,0,07/24,15:03
21700361 Middle Earth CCG: Pair of Nazguls Ltd.,$9.99 ,0,07/24,15:07
21700667 Middle Earth Ltd One Ring/ Arkenstone,$17.99,5,07/24,15:10
21700948 Middle Earth 'Wizard's' Lot #2,$5.00 ,0,07/24,15:13
21701873 Middle Earth Unlimited Rare Lot of 24,$9.99,0,07/24,15:22
21703115 Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings,$15.95,1,07/24,15:33
21703846 Balrog from the Lord of the Rings,$15.95,0,07/24,15:40
21703883 Middle Earth Dragons Lot of 19 Rares,$9.99,1,07/24,15:41
21704493 Middle Earth Lidless Eye - 10 Rares,$9.99,1,07/24,15:47
21705217 Middle Earth Against Shadow Lot of 16,$9.99,1,07/24,15:53
21705109 Lord of the Rings - Boxed Set ,1965,$31.00,4,07/24,15:53
21997109 THE HOBBIT -GOLD COVER$10.00 ,0,07/24,18:27
21792312 Middle Earth CCG Dark Minions Box,$19.99,0,07/25,11:23
21792692 Middle Earth CCG Wizards Boost,$19.99,1,07/25,Box,11:26
21793514 Middle Earth CCG Wizards Unlimited,$19.99,1,07/25,11:34
21802181 Tolkien - Middle-Earth Role Playing ,$5.50,6,07/25,12:47
21808072 ~~SILMARILLION-1st Am. !!!,$9.00 ,0,07/25,13:33
21815521 Grenadier Figures Lord Of The Rings, $9.75,1,07/25,14:28
21845023 Bakshi LORD OF THE RINGS promotional,$4.00,1,07/25, 18:25
21849428 Middle Earth CCG - 100 Lidless Eye, $2.00,0,07/25,18:50
21855334 THE HOBBIT! BOOK & RECORD,$20.00,0,07/25,19:19
21900928 J.R.R. Tolkiens Two Towers PBK [PIC!],$1.00 ,0,07/26,07:50,
21907497 Tolkiens the Hobbit Pbk [PIC!],$1.00 ,0,07/26,09:01
21939575 WAR OF THE RING (SPI) Tolkien,$41.00,7,07/26,Fans, 13:10
21967039 ARIEL THE BOOK OF FANTASY VOL 2 ,$1.00,0,07/26,15:57
21992414 MIDDLE EARTH LIDLESS EYE LTD.,$1.50 ,0,07/26,18:06
21996467 Collection of Games,$1.00,1,07/26,18:24
22034491 45 SICENCE FICTION PAPERBACKS,$10.00,0,07/26,21:24
22069140 Middle Earth CCG Lot of 3,$1.00,0,07/27,10:36
22093301 Lord of the Rings Pewter Necklace ,$1.00,1,07/27,16:20
22113185 120 PCS 5.25" DISK LOT,$3.00,1,07/27,17:06
22139004 BOOK -RECORD THE HOBBIT 1977,$3.25,1,07/27,19:13
22163662 GIMLI Lord of the Rings Pewter Figure ,$9.99,0,07/27,21:13
22164191 @@ BOROMIR Pewter Figure, $9.99,0, 07/27, 21:16
22164988 @ Elan NAZGUL Pewter Figure [PIC!],$9.99,0,07/27,21:22
As you can see, the titles
are rather cryptic. Some have some odd characters thrown in so that
they will grab your attention. Each title links you to a full description
of the item, an optional photograph and the bidding section. Since
the title can only be 40 characters, sellers use abbreviations (e.g.
CCG=Collectible Card Game). The full range of collectibles are listed
at one time or another, including first editions of books, Tolkien
criticism, fan magazines, figures, belt buckles, audiotapes, calendars,
videos and games. Since the Ralph Bakshi LOTR movie was associated
with a fair amount of merchandising, many Ebay items are associated
with the movie. However, even these items were not generally available
pre-internet. Since the typical person had no way of making them
available to collectors before Ebay, I expect they were sitting
in closets stored away. Ebay has now become my major source for
Tolkien collectibles as well as the other things I collect. Some
of the most unusual items I have found are not necessarily the most
highly valued. These include a "Gandalf for President"
button, the license plate frame, Frodo Lives button, posters and
other parts of the Fellowship set distributed with the Bakshi LOTR
movie, an 8-track tape of the soundtrack from the LOTR movie, the
35mm trailer for the movie and a hand-made sterling silver ring
in the shape of Gollum. More common items include first editions
of Tom Bombadil and Farmer Giles of Ham, Royal Doulton figures,
calendars, puzzles and role playing game sets. At present, I am
tracking a vintage Fillmore Wes Wilson poster that states, "Haight
Ashbury - Come to Middle Earth". I hope my sniping skills prevail
on that one.
 I don't want to
leave the impression that sniping is the only way bidding works
on Ebay. I have purchased almost all of the items I described without
sniping. Sniping occurs on the very unusual and desirable items
for which the value is essentially unknown. Items with established
values are usually bid up to some factor of that value, then the
bidding stops.
There is no cleaner expression
of free enterprise than an auction, and I have always preferred
the values set by an honest auction. I think this is one aspect
that makes them so entertaining. Values are invented on the spot
by the expression of desire on the part of the bidders. No matter
how expert and honest the dealer, the values set by such an interested
party are necessarily biased in favor of the dealer. They are selling
a commodity and need to establish the highest price. The ÒtrueÓ price, set by the demand of the collectors, may be much lower, or,
as I have discovered on Ebay, much higher.
 In the end, I have been very
impressed with the honesty and genuine integrity of the typical
Ebay seller and bidder. The worst that has ever happened to me is
that some sellers have neglected to provide sufficient information
about items and my expectations were incorrect as a result. I have
had one or two bidders who did not follow-through on the transactions.
The system is largely self-regulated. Aside from some basic policing,
there is very little the Ebay administration can do to monitor these
transactions. I think the system works because everyone has so much
to lose if it doesn't.
If you are a Tolkien
fan then you should give the auction a try if only to find a common
book you may not have already. The auction has the best prices for
common editions as well as the collectible ones. In addition, if
you have a collectible you would like to sell for the best price,
you cannot do better than Ebay. In that regard, if anyone has the
brass belt buckle depicting Gandalf, please get it out there. I
will be the first bidder. |
A very high quality, beautiful sword. This would make a great decorative gift for the shield maiden in your life, or someone who just loves equestrian design.
