In Bodmin/In Glasgow: Two 1994 BCA Variants of S.

Recently “discovered” there are two variants of the 1994 BOOK CLUB ASSOCIATES (BCA) edition of The Silmarillion. Holford states (TOLKIENBOOKS.NET entry 62290) that this edition was ‘not reprinted’; no variant(s) noted. I will record the two variants that I am aware of here; I do not recall this being formally recorded (or discussed) elsewhere. There may be more.

 

Caledonian — Hartnolls

 

BCA (‘by arrangement’ with HARPERCOLLINS) used both HARTNOLLS and CALEDONIAN INTERNATIONAL BOOK MANUFACTURING printers for their book club edition. If these were separate impressions—in a (modern) publishing sense, being printed at different times—then this is not recorded. Alternatively, it may be that they are the same impression (or regarded as such), printed in two separate locations by two different printers. One suspects the former: that this BCA edition was reprinted and this was not recorded in copyright page information. 

 

HARTNOLLS Variant

The Silmarillion. BCA, 1994. CN 4713.

 

Hartnolls copyright — Hartnolls binding

 

Printed (and bound) in the UK by HARTNOLLS (Bodmin, Cornwall). Case-binding with sewn gatherings (signatures), paper-covered boards. Jacket border is red to edge (head and tail). The first three HARPERCOLLINS trade impressions—I have not seen the fourth (or later) impression(s)—were printed by HARTNOLLS in near-identical binding/covers; see TOLKIENBOOK.NET 62250.

 

CALEDONIAN Variant

The Silmarillion. BCA, 1994. CN 4713.

 

Caledonian copyright — Caledonian binding

Printed and bound in the UK by CALEDONIAN INTERNATIONAL BOOK MANUFACTURING (Glasgow). Perfect-bound case-binding, paper-covered boards. Red jacket border is finished with narrow white trim (head and tail). I think—I admit I've never researched this properly—CALEDONIAN printers was owned (or controlled) by HARPERCOLLINS i.e. it was one of their own ‘in-house’ printers.

 

Hartnolls/Caledonian (DJs) — Hartnolls/Caledonian (books)

 

If one looks very closely it might be noticed that the longer printer naming detail on the copyright page of the CALEDONIA variant is very slightly condensed; the type is visually heavier too. This is possibly indicative of priority. I suggest the original copyright page text layout was possibly typeset first by HARTNOLLS for their printing, with CALEDONIAN then using this existing layout to set their own copyright page. By this reasoning, the CALEDONIAN variant could be an entirely new—later (undated)—BCA impression.

 

As mentioned, HARTNOLLS were also responsible for the printing of the original 1992 HARPERCOLLINS trade edition. There are a few related points I would like to make in regard to that edition too, but I will deal with that minutiae in a separate post. 

 

Also on SILMARILLION MINUTIAE

❆ The Silmarillion — Clowes Book Club (1977)