TSR NuTSR Sells Rebound 1E Core Rulebooks For $650 Each

Despite being embroiled in ongoing legal disputes with WotC regarding use of the TSR trademark (amongst other things), NuTSR has posted images of leather-bound compilations of AD&D 1E books they say are rebindings of old material, complete with the disputed logo. They're selling these books for $650 each.

The Deities & Demigods book (middle top in the image) has a typo on the front cover.

TSR - The Full & Glorious History of NuTSR

Because the Saga of TSR3 has been ongoing for a while, with many landmarks, I thought I'd do a quick timeline for those who haven't had the time (or, frankly, inclination) to keep up with the whole palaver. As multiple entities refer to themselves as TSR, I will use the nomenclature (1), (2)...

www.enworld.org

About these books, NuTSR says "Look what just came in. Sorry, we didn't have these in for TSR CON. (in the beginning, WotC said similar to what people below are saying. We said they are rebound of old material. Long story short, WotC said ok no problem, we have it in writing)"

As rebindings, these would be existing books simply being resold. However, the covers with the disputed logo are new.

In early March WotC launched a lawsuit -- (PDF attachment of filing) -- naming TSR, TSR CEO Justin LaNasa personally, and the Dungeon Hobby Shop museum. WotC seeks a judgement that TSR hand over all domains, take down all websites, pay treble damages and costs, hand over all stock and proceeds related to the trademarks, and more.

 

[Mallus]

You know, it takes a lot to get me to root for a large corporation suing a little guy out of existence. But LaNasa has done it, by gum!

 

[Jer]

Wonder if they'll do something similar for 2E.

If you have some cheap 2e volumes that you'd like to do it for yourself you can get it done, and it'll cost a lot less than $650. You'd need to find a bookbinder willing to do individual books, but I know folks who have had issues of comic books bound together into a single volume and I think it cost them $100 total - I can't imagine that bundling 3 game books into a hardcover would cost more than that unless it's thicker than a stack of about 2 dozen comics.

 

[Abstruse]

It depends on the printing and how well you took care of it.

All of mine still (at least currently) have the cover still on them. One is rather loose though, but the others have their covers still on them nicely.

On a different note. The post that listed the prices of the books...goodness gracious have they gotten expensive.

Now that they are available on DMsguild, I think I'd just go there to get extra copies than pay the prices on some of those.

$125 for a PHB!!?? I have a darned fortune in my house it looks like...

Yeah, I was looking up first and second printings of Deities & Demigods on eBay to find out and saw one with literal masking tape on the spine going for $175 and I'm side-eyeing the one sitting on my shelf ever since...

 

[Lanefan]

The good news is that if you were going to rip the cover off a copy of 1E Unearthed Arcana, you are unlikely to be able to find one that actually has the binding intact to begin with.

I must be lucky, then; as I have one about 10 feet from me.

 

[Morrus]

I must be lucky, then; as I have one about 10 feet from me.

I have two in great condition, but neither has the removed content.

 

[Lanefan]

I have two in great condition, but neither has the removed content.

I was referring to UA, of which mine is in pretty much pristine shape despite 35-ish years of intermittent use.

I have three DDGs in varying conditions, one with the removed content, one without, and one I can't recall which.

 

[Shakeshift]

If you take the pages out of the book completely, removing the spine and stitching/glue altogether, then it's possible to combine and rebind them.

But good point about the page count. The D&DG does strike me as being thinner than the DMG/MM collection, but not hugely so.


It's possible that they simply used their copy so often that it was falling apart. Although in that case, the inside pages would also be so badly worn that it wouldn't be worth selling--which is why I really want to see the insides of the books they have for sale. At $650, those rebound books (useless for collectors, useful for gaming) better be in good condition.

It's also possible that they took a sketchpad (notice the similar textures) like this and embossed the cover, and refuse to let anyone actually look at the store copy:
View attachment 154580

This. This right here!!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I'm starting to suspect that 'NFT' might be too hard for them to spell...

Not being able to spell or use grammar correctly hasn't held them back so far!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

This guy must just think people are stupid. I can't fathom the logic behind this. He is truly a scam artist and I wish Ernie Gygax would separate from him.

At this point it's pretty obvious that Ernie shares his views. He's had so many opportunities to part ways with "Grits" LaNasa and has chosen not to do so. In my opinion Ernie is just as bad and deserves everything coming to him.

 

[Shakeshift]

I mean, HOW much are those rebound books going to be worth after collectors see the poor spelling and grammar?

NOTHING. Those books will be worth nothing. Original covers ripped off, and the new covers with grammatical errors on them? They'll be worth nothing to collectors.