Auction: Unique Item for Fans of The Hobbit!

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Hello folks,

This auction is for a carved leather interpretation of "Thror's Map," drawn by J. R. R. Tolkien in pen and ink for the original publication of The Hobbit. Every detail on the map is carved with a tooling knife after being drawn free-hand onto the leather. The proportions are not perfect because no tracing was involved. The map is 15" tall and 19.5" long, and is done on 2 oz. vegetable tanned leather. It was wiped down with Neatsfoot oil compound, Fiebing's dark brown leather dye and Fiebing's Atom Wax to seal the deal. This map will last for lifetimes.

The leather is not perfectly flat. It will make an excellent roll-up map to use, or can be displayed if tacked to a wall, etc... I will mount it on a custom wood backing with small, hand crafted iron nails for an additional $12 over the winning bidder's price, if preferred. $6 S/H without wood display, $12 with. Paypal is preferred.

Starting at $1. Auction ends Saturday, January 28th at midnight Pacific time. Please bid and ask questions openly in this thread. Cheers!

-Gerhard

Original Map:
http://www.fortunecity.com/athena/emera ... orsmap.jpg

Reproduction being auctioned:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6733 ... 00e5_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6733 ... b78f_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6733 ... 1bed_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6733 ... 3679_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6733 ... d32c_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6733 ... 5a98_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6733 ... 9b4d_b.jpg

[Edward MacTavish]

I will go $1 to start things off.

Edward

[marcus the pale]

Very nice work.

Let's take it right to $5.




Marcus

[Roland Brokentooth]

$20

[archibald]

$25

[JohnParr]

$45.00

[Micah Nelson]

$65

[Eltz-Kempenich]

Just wanted to chime in and say nice work! I may have to copy this idea!

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Considering how well this is going, I will close the auction to the first bidder of $100. Cheers guys, and thanks for the comments. It was a fun little project I decided to do last week - I've had the itch for a while now, though. I wonder what's next? :p

-Gerhard

[Lucian Ro]

Very cool idea and execution, Greg.

[Zubeydah]

I just wanted to say how exquisitely gorgeous this is.

[NeeSayer]

Ummm so closing it to the first bidder of a 100... that defeats the whole purpose of an auction doesn't it since that just sets the price at $100?

[Gerhard von Liebau]

No, it doesn't set the price. If no one else bids Meinhard gets it for $65.

I don't want to charge more than $100. That's probably what I would have ideally wanted for it outright, so I will set that as my max.

-Gerhard

[Gerhard von Liebau]

*Bump!*

[Paladin74]

It is really very nice...I like it.

[Tancred DeLeon]

how about a pilgrim map through the holy land templer era... Just a thought...

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Good idea, Tancred. I'm actually planning on doing a series of well-researched and hopefully artistic medieval maps on canvas this summer. For now, I already have another ambitious Tolkien project up my sleeves... Cheers!

-Gerhard

[Tancred DeLeon]

hit when you get to it. You can just add me to the bid..

[Tancred DeLeon]

that is incredible by the way, keep it up...

[JohnParr]

100.00

[Micah Nelson]

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Hit me up, Micah.

Cheers guys!

-Gerhard