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.

 

[Cadence]

Wait, silverfish are a book hazard?!

Because being completely revolting little cosmic horrors isn't bad enough?!!!??

I think they eat glue and some cover materials. (They can really obliterate tissue paper).

 

[Faolyn]

Welll…maybe yes, maybe no.

IF those books survive this kerfuffle, it’s possible they could become collectibles in their own right, kind of like how certain counterfeited instruments, furniture, and other collectibles have. Now, such knockoffs are seldom anywhere near as valuable as the originals, but they can still command eye-watering prices.

Part of how this happens is the quality of the knockoffs. That’s not a factor here.

But they’re evidence of the existence of a controversy, and as such, might be collected by those who want to commemorate the event.

I think that depends on a lot of things, and a couple of rebound books (or printed out pdfs) made by a bigoted grifter while thumbing his nose at the company he's stealing from... well, it just isn't big enough, or famous enough, to be a collectable. The only people who would really care are his few friends and allies, and it seems like he's been alienating more and more of them as time goes on.

 

[darjr]

I think they eat glue and some cover materials. (They can really obliterate tissue paper).

Well then we need to stop making books out of paper, glue, and…. cover materials.

 

[Sacrosanct]

The entirety of D&Ds history has occurred in my lifetime.

I’ll be curled up in the corner if anyone needs me.

The birth of D&D is the same year I was born. So when I see all these "Celebrating 50 years of D&D coming up soon!", I'm constantly reminded that my 50th birthday is coming up soon. .

 

[Lanefan]

I think they eat glue and some cover materials. (They can really obliterate tissue paper).

Yes. They'll eat normal paper as well, but very slowly.

They love the glue that's used in book bindings, however.

 

[Lanefan]

Well then we need to stop making books out of paper, glue, and…. cover materials.

I dunno - people keep trying to make them out of electrons these days and it's just not the same.

 

[J.Quondam]

I dunno - people keep trying to make them out of electrons these days and it's just not the same.

It's a different sort of "bugs" that tear up those electronical thingumbobs.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

It's a different sort of "bugs" that tear up those electronical thingumbobs.

This was a real thing: https://gbmaster.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/crabs.png

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Normally, perhaps, but I don't think so because they are re-bindings. Kind of how POD versions of Deities and Demigods have no collectible value. Anyone can do the same thing these guys did, and have them bound themselves. Complete with misspellings if they wanted.

That’s true in one sense, but something like that wouldn’t commemorate the lawsuit, etc. That legal struggle is what would be the root of theie possible collectibility.

In the 1970s & 1980s, Japanese guitar makers were making versions of models by US maker Gibson that were very similar visually to, and- in some cases- better made than the originals. Gibson sued for infringement. The Japanese companies changed their visual aesthetics to avoid future legal issues.

Today, ”Lawsuit Era” guitars command prices higher than functionally identical or superior guitars by the same makers…sometimes even the Gibsons they mimicked. In addition, “lawsuit era” is a label applied to some guitars that weren’t even involved in the actual lawsuit, driving up their prices.

It’s not something that happens often in the collectibles realm. In fact, the opposite is most often true. As @Faolin pointed out, the size and scope of the controversy is a factor. But it happens often enough that the possibility should be dismissed out of hand.

 

[Doctor Futurity]

"Heros"

OMG