The Collection Grows

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I forgot to mention the most important (to me) - and most expensive! - of my book purchases, as it wasn't in the stack waiting for a space on my shelf, but on my piano. It's The Road Goes Ever On, with Donald Swann's music to Tolkien's poems. There's even a CD included with this new edition, but I'm working my way through the book to get a first impression on my own before listening to it. Maybe I'll write a review of it then - I don't recall that anyone has done that yet, though it's been mentioned and I assume I'm not the only one here who has it.

From what I've tried so far (and no, I'm not a singer, though I have enjoyed accompanying them on the piano - my playing is definitely better than my singing!) I would say that they're not the kind of popular melodies Peter Jackson would have incorporated in the movies. They follow the classical art song tradition, similar to Schubert's songs, perhaps. More later...

[Lalwendë]

Well, it would be impossible to photograph my books and all the other bits and bobs, as they're all over the house, but as my little figures are in their display case (cat protection) I thought I'd show 'em off. I've actually bought most of these this year - once I started I could not stop - all bargains, more or less! I told myself I would not bother collecting them if they were tacky, but I doscovered that they're excellent little figures, so...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Wow, that's impressive, Lalwendë! What a collection!

[Encaitare]

Wow, some of these collections are massive! Here's my humble collection:

Books:

- three-in-one Alan Lee illustrated LotR
- smaller paperback copies (two of which are my aunt's from the 70s)
- the Silm hardcover, illustrated by Ted Nasmith
- HoME I-V paperback box set
- the Tolkien Reader
- the Languages of Middle Earth (I forget who wrote it)
- Weapons and Warfare movie book, very interesting but not entirely accurate to LotR
- The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring (movie book)
- The Art of the Two Towers (also a movie book)

Alas, I don't own the Hobbit or UT yet.


Movies:

- FotR EE DVD
- National Geographic DVD on LotR which came with the above
- TTT EE DVD (so much abbreviation!)
- RotK regular DVD... can't wait for the EE!
- Secrets of Middle Earth DVDs, which analyze the Hobbit and each section of LotR. I have yet to watch them; I never seem to have the time.


CDs:

- all three movie soundtracks; I hope they make longer ones with the EE music included. All the music would be nice, because there is some beautiful stuff which aren't on the soundtracks.
- "Nightfall in Middle-earth" by Blind Guardian

I'm always on the lookout for Tolkien-related CDs but so far I have not come across anything which sounds the way I've imagined it. I wanted this CD that Christopher Lee made, but when I finally had the money the store didn't have it anymore


Other:

- four movie posters
- the Evenstar necklace
- tons of little newspaper clippings sprinkled all over my walls
- a fantasy magazine with a lovely series of LotR movie articles
- a keychain with the Ringspell on it
- the One Ring (which came off a bookmark tassel)
- maybe fourteen bookmarks, most of which I can't find because they're scattered in various books
- a Legolas patch
- Aragorn pin
- pack of cards
- Argonath bookends which I love fiercely
- Aragorn light-up glass goblet! Very cool.
- massive T-shirt
- brochures from the museum exhibit I just went to
- two prints, I believe by the brothers Hildebrant, autographed by them (fortunately they're not any of the goofy-looking ones. They're good.)
- a "Herr der Ringe" book my friend got for me in Germany. Very intriguing, although I actually sat down and read the whole thing depite the fact that I understood around three words.

That's all I can think of right now, although I am sure there's more... I'm trying to convince my parents to buy the chess set, but so far it's not working. I'm also trying to convince them that a sword is a perfectly logical thing to buy. Sort of working.

Now that I look at it, wow, I do have a lot of stuff!

[Encaitare]

I just remembered this CD and listened to the samples on the site, and I must say the "Merry Old Inn" song is great. It had me giggling, anyway. I wasn't very happy with Galadriel's song, but I think that elvish music would be very hard to place or write, especially something by Galadriel. I actually have a friend who's planning to major in music composition, and she is currently working on a piece for Galadriel's Lament (Ai! Laurie lantar lassi surinen etc., not I sang of leaves etc. -- the site calls the latter the Lament.)

Here's the site; it seems relatively promising. Sadly the CD seems to have been temporarily discontinued, and I can't find it on eBay or Amazon.com.

http://www.flowinglass.com/sjewel.html

[mark12_30]

Encaitare,

That is one of my favorite CDs. I had the great fortune of finding a folk music dealer who had "one or two " copies left. I got one of them, still shrinkwrapped, for a paltry fifteen bucks-- that is, for the original price; no scalping. Miraculous. Their elvish songs take a few listenings to grow on you; but I find they stand the test of time very, very well.

The only other elven songs I prefer to the Starlit Jewel versions are: Tra La La Lally by The Hobbitons (Hilarious!) and THe Lay of Nimrodel and Legolas' Song of Lebennin by The Tolkien Ensemble. THeir Legolas totally rules, and their Aragorn is fabulous too IMO.

Best Hobbit: Hobbitons (also out of production, woe is us.)

Have you checked out the Music Reviews thread?

[Alatáriël Lossëhelin]

I took this picture so I could post it here. That was a long time ago. But well, here it is, even though it's outdated now...

Geez, Helen, you have even more sets of LotR etc than I do. My books only take up two shelves!

I know what you meant about the doubles and triples, Morgul....I find they are handy to give as gifts to other LOTR-minded folks. (I have given a couple to another Barrowdowner of Li'l Mr. Wood/Frodo, for example....)

Any gift of Frodo is always appreciated, Stacey!!

Well, it would be impossible to photograph my books and all the other bits and bobs, as they're all over the house, but as my little figures are in their display case (cat protection) I thought I'd show 'em off. I've actually bought most of these this year - once I started I could not stop - all bargains, more or less! I told myself I would not bother collecting them if they were tacky, but I doscovered that they're excellent little figures, so...

Ah, Lalwendë...a fellow action figure collector! Aren't they fabulous?

I'm also trying to convince them that a sword is a perfectly logical thing to buy. Sort of working.

Encaitare, I think swords are perfectly logical...I currently own five: Sting, Hadhafang, Strider's Ranger Sword, Narsil, and the LE Andúril. There are a few others that I have my eye on, but (unfortunately) funds are not currently available.

[Lalwendë]

Alatariel - it was ages ago I asked about collecting the figures and you warned me that this would become addictive. How right you were! I do like those Armies of Middle Earth ones too, but it's harder to find a good rendition in these. You can buy a Fellowship set (which I didn't buy and have not seen since) and I have seen a picture of a Shelob's Lair set, which also attracts me because I like spiders!

I think one of the nicest things I have obtained was a handmade silver One Ring (not laser-etched). I have wanted one of these for the last twenty-odd years and finally found one - not underneath the Misty Mountains but on e-bay - it's well worth anyone checking it out for these.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Esty ,

Please let me know what you think of the Bates book. I was thinking of getting a copy.

I wanted to share my most recent acquisition. This was a big, big splurge. All summer, I watched as one of the dealers in rare books auctioned off books autographed by Pauline Baynes. Many of these were Tolkien; some were Lewis, Arabian Nights, or other fairy tales. This was done for a good cause: she wanted to support an animal shelter in the UK with needed funds. Most of the books went at prices way above my head. Then I saw this:



Here is the link: here

I had been saving money over the summer and hadn't spent any of it. My resolve faltered....and now the bookplate proudly sits nestled amid the first pages of Bilbo's Last Song.

In the meantime, I have sworn off e-bay....for at least one week.

********************

My other splurge is coming through my mom who knows how crazy I am! She has preordered the 2005 Allan and Unwin anniversary edition from Amazon in the UK as a holiday gift. It is to be issued in late October. Here is the description:

Special 50th anniversary edition of the literary phenomenon voted Book of the Century and the Nation's favourite Big Read. Includes revised and reset text and special features unique to this edition. This deluxe cased volume contains the complete text, fully corrected and reset, and features for the very first time the pages from the Book of Mazarbul, illustrations done by Tolkien and intended for inclusion in the famous 'Bridge of Khazad-dum' chapter. Also appearing are previously unpublished family trees and two, full-size fold-out maps. Sympathetically packaged to reflect the classic look of the original, this brand new volume will prove irresistible to collectors and new fans alike.

This sounds like something special, and I am looking forward to seeing the package arrive.

**********************

Later Edit: Encaitare,

Regarding Starlit Jewel, which is issued by the MZB's estate..... The music is among my favorite, and also because I have had a weakness for Marian Zimmer Bradley for many years. (I have a signed first edition of one of the Arthur series, which I got when she came to a local bookstore long ago. She was a lovely person to meet.)

The reason they cost so much is that the Estate pulled them off the market for not having the right license. I've seen them go on e-bay for $100! I managed to get my own on e-bay for less than half of that, but still a lot more than $15.
I did it by having a favorite search for Starlit Jewel and the minute a reasonable "buy it now" came up in my e-mail box (it just happened to be a new one but I would have taken anything), I pounced on it. But the whole search took a good four months.