New Calendars
 

Have been fortunate to discover and collect four new (previously undiscovered) calendars in the recent weeks. As soon as I as receive them, I'll post them to my website. You will be able to find them most easily through the "What's New?" link there. Hope everyone's summer is going well!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

New Tolkien Calendar
 

Received and created a listing for a 2007 Hobbit calendar from Australia this week. It is an excellent calendar from Colin Williams. The illustrations are great, the production quality is top notch, and it's simply different from all of the others that I have collected. Prior to finding it on eBay, had not heard of this one or its illustrator. Could not find a website or email address for him, so have written to him to find out more about his work. Has anyone here any information on Colin Williams (Annandale, NSW, Australia)? Thanks!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

August CotM
 

Hello to all -

It's August so I updated the Calendar of the Month feature. This month's is another rare one. Hope you like it and that everyone is enjoying the summer.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

"New" Tolkien Calendar
 

Discovered (and collected) a previously undiscovered Tolkien calendar. It is a variant of the 1977 calendar published in New Zealand. Check it out at:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

As it winds down, hope everyone's summer was great.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

CotM for September
 

Posted the Calendar of the Month for September this morning. It is a German language variant of a particular favorite of mine. Thus, it is somewhat uncommon.

Also added a German language Shire Reckoning calendar to the catalog. It is available in .pdf format from the creator's website.

Hope you enjoy them!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

NEW Tolkien Calendars
 

Posted the complete collection (18) of calendars from Colin Williams, a recently discovered illustrator, and a newly discovered variant of the 1974 A&U issue from New Zealand on my website today:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

As always, interested in your comments and visits.

Happy Autumn to all!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

CotM for 0ctober
 

Hello to all -

Posted the new Calendar of the Month for October today. It is the first of a series of three calendars from The Hobbit from a recently discovered illustrator. (OK, that pretty much tells you what November and December will be!) You can find it at:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

And the first of the 2008 calendars are out - which you can also find on my website. Hope you enjoy them. As always, would love to hear your comments and/or questions!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

2008 Eldalie Calendar
 

Received the 2008 calendar from Eldalie. You can find it in either the chronological or society listings at:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

As always, would love to hear from you if you have any questions about Tolkien calendars.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

November CotM
 

Updated the Calendar of the Month feature for November. Hope you enjoy the second in this series.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

NEW Tolkien Calendar
 

NEW Tolkien Calendar

I have collected a LOT of Tolkien calendars. Now a first for me. I have been working with Ted Nasmith and Jef Murray to create a calendar for Heren Istarion (The Northeast Tolkien Society). Anthony and Jessie, the cochairs of NETS, are having difficulty keeping the Society solvent (without dipping further into their own pockets!) As they have done so much for Tolkien fans (including organizing the '08 MythCon in Connecticut next year) and as I have been wanting to create a calendar, I have taken the responsibility to create this one. All proceeds will benefit HI. Ted and Jef have contributed some amazing illustrations (some of them previously unpublished!) I am working with my daughter (a graphic designer) to lay out the calendar. It will be in the Shire Reckoning format with Gregorian dates, moon phases, and important dates in Middle-earth added. You can check out its cover by Jef (and support HI should you order one) at:

www.herenistarion.org

Thanks!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

p.s. - I am hoping that a plug for this calendar does not offend anyone or run afoul of any forum rules. It is for a good and completely non-commercial cause. (I will certainly abide by any decisions that a moderator may make!)

Thanks for the link to the new Tolkien calendar, Parmastahir!!! Just ordered one; can't wait 'til I receive it.

~*~ Pio :D

Thanks!
 

On behalf of NETS/HI, thanks very much for your enthusiasm and order! The calendar has not even been laid out yet much less printed and orders are coming in left and right (as that expression goes!) Ted Nasmith sent his artwork yesterday and Jef's arrived Tuesday. I am going to work with my daughter on Saturday to lay it out. I have seen all of the artwork and I am CERTAIN that you will like this calendar. And, as I collect these calendars, I am thrilled that I have some creative control over it and the fact that it will be in the Shire Reckoning format. There have been precious few of those issued over the years.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Thanks again for keeping us up to date on all this. I've also ordered one.

Thanks!
 

To those who have ordered and those who may, THANKS! Your support of NETS/HI is appreciated. As it is I who will be shipping them out, you may be assured that I will take great care with them.

An update: Ted Nasmith was in the UK this past week and visited with his agent (ADC Books). Andy has burned a CD with the last of the illustrations that we need to print the calendar and posted it on Friday. My daughter and I went over a proof copy of the calendar and made a few edits. So everything is on track to print and start mailing these by early December. I truly believe that everyone who orders one will enjoy this calendar - and not only because I'm involved with it. It is truly a work of art.

Also, was fortunate to collect a some new calendars this month. You can find them listed under "What's New" on my website.

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

CotM and Update
 

I have posted the Calendar of the Month for December. It is the third in a series titled "Bilbo Baggins and the Fourteen" by Colin Williams.

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

Also, please consider supporting Heren Istarion by purchasing one of their 2008 calendars. It will contain illustrations by Ted Nasmith and Jef Murray and be in the Shire Reckoning format. You can check it out here:

www.herenistarion.org

For those that have ordered, we have still to receive the CD with Ted Nasmith's illustrations. It was mailed eight days ago. Even by airmail, I expect it to take 10 day to 2 weeks. Hopefully, it will arrive early next week and we will be shipping the calendar soon after.

Happy December to all!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Just got the email that the H-I calendar was being mailed out. Can't wait to have it in my hot little hands and feast my eyes on the pics!!!

HI Calendar
 

Hello piosenniel -

Has your copy arrived? I have received several emails from people whose copies have, and everyone is most pleased (including Jef Murray who contributed a lot of the artwork). From the artwork (which is great) to the layout and production (which is most excellent), I could not be happier with the way that this calendar turned out. I look forward to your comments!

To you and all Barrow-Downs members, my best wishes for a VERY Merry Christmas and happiness and health in the New Year!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

It did arrive, yesterday! And it was so gorgeous I nearly burst into tears. (I do love Tolkien Calendars & have a small collection of my own. Love your angelfire site, btw!!) I sure hope this will be a yearly offering from HI.

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours & best wishes for a great New Year!

~*~ Pio

Pio & Parmastahir,

I received the calendar yesterday, and my own response was similar to yours. This calendar is a delight....much, much closer to the "spirit" of middle earth than so many others I've seen. I loved the separate pages for midyear's day and overlithe along with the explanation of what these mean.

Thanks so much, Parmastahir, for passing on this information.

HI Calendar
 

I can't tell you how pleased I am with both of your comments. I had thought it an excellent production (from the artwork to the SR format to the production) but was wondering what the buyers would think. The responses here, in other forums, and from several buyers that I know have all been most positive. I hope that it brings you enjoyment all year through.

We do intend to do this again next year. I have one illustrator lined up already. We should be able to get next year's out earlier. The thought to do it only came in the last week of October this year. I think the quality of it speaks much of the efforts of the team that put it together. And we are certainly in the debt of the illustrators (Ted, Jef, and Catherine) who gave us permission to use their works and hi-res files to print from.

Thank you for your support of HI. I am certain that this calendar was a bit (around US$10) more expensive than the HarperCollins Tolkien calendar. But it is rather unique and everything above the printing and postage costs will keep their website and journal going in 2008.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Happy Birthday, Jrrt!
 

A happy eleventy-sixth to the Professor!

CotM
 

Happy New Year, All!

Updated the Calendar of the Month on my website:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

Hope you enjoy this one (a current favorite!)

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Parmastihr,

A question about calendars....

I was enjoying your website and clicked on the link for "Hollins design". I didn't realize these elvish calendars were so rare. I have the ones for 2005 and 2006 (not 2004)and have always loved them because they are so unique. I do have a question though.

I understand that the Songs calendar for 2007 will likely not be finished till sometime in 2008. Do you know where to contact to order one once it does come out? The original e-mail address I had does not work now. My inquiry from last year bounced back to me.

Hollin Designs Calendars
 

Hello Child of the 7th Age -

You are fortunate to have any of the Hollin Design calendars because of their rarity and because they are such wonderful little gems. The care and craftsmanship with which these were created is evident and they are great fun. I find the same in the work of Colin Williams that I discovered only last year. He is wonderful to chat with and REALLY into The Hobbit. In any case, I just wrote to Laithaine (Laura) at the two email addresses that I have for her. I will certainly let you know when (if) I get a reply. There is also the possibility to write to her via the Hollin Design website:

http://hollindesign.com/

But that assumes that she is still working with Alia (Lesley) at that business.

Am pleased that my website is of use to you. That is, after all, why I created it.

Will keep you posted!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Hollin Design Calendar
 

Sorry to report that there will not be a 2008 Hollin Design calendar. Laithaine did write back:

Thanks so much for getting in touch. I'm afraid right now due to other projects we're not making any more calendars. It takes at least 50 or so hours of work each year to pull them together and we haven't had the ability for the last 2 due to personal commitments. If that changes, I will certainly let you know.

We will just have enjoy what they have created and wait for their schedules to free up the time to make another one. I'd say that the "50 or so hours" explains why these are so nice in spite of the fact that they are "pocket" calendars.

Thanks for your question!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

2008 S.t.e.
 

Added the 2008 Sociedad Tolkien Española calendar to the catalog at:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

Hope you enjoy it.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

As usually another fine addition to the collecition, Parmastahir!

I just took a look in the "Worst Tolkien Art" thread also here in M-e Mirth and noticed my post about that Tolkein Calendar with the cat-like Sauron you once showed me.
Maybe you can find the picture of it and post it there as it is in my opinion probably the worst of all Tolkien artworks. :D

Your wish . . .
 

is my command. It is done!

Parm

Parmastahir, I have a request as well: Are there any pictures of Middle-earth characters with musical instruments on any of the calendars? I'm looking for some to illustrate a lecture on musical instruments in M-e, and there is next to nothing to be found. The Dwarves' impromptu concert in Bag End would be wonderful, but I'll be happy to have you point me toward anything at all that could give me images on the subject.

I did look through the lists on your site briefly, but there's so much there that I couldn't find my way to something so specific.

You wanted wonderful . . .
 

you shall have it. The 1999 and 2003 calendars of Colin Williams contain the following illustrations:

March 99 - Bofur w/clarinet
April 99 - Bombur w/drum + sticks
May 99 - Fili + Kili w/ fiddles
Jan 03 - Dwalin w/ viol
Feb 03 - Balin w/ viol
Mar 03 - Dori + Nori w/ flutes
Apr 03 - Oin w/ recorder (?)
May 03 - Ori w/ flute
June 03 - Bifur w/ clarinet
JULY 03 - THE ENTIRE DWARF BAND IN BAG END!
Aug 03 - Gloin w/ ???

(It is not told what instruments Oín and Gloín played. Mr. Williams portrayed each with an instrument but I can not say with certainty what they are. Shall I ask him?)

The best that I could do is photograph them from the A3 size calendars (larger size illustrations than the A4) and send hi-res files of them to you. How shall I get them to you? I could burn the .jpg files on a CD and mail them to you, or possible email them (assuming large files won't "choke" either of our email services should I send them one at a time). Suggest you contact me via my website and we'll take this off-line. Also, when do you need them? I would prefer to shoot them in natural daylight. But the days are short, so that would mean that I would have to do so on a sunny weekend day (this Saturday or Sunday).

As others have supported me and my quest, it would be my great pleasure to do so for you.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

*cough* too bad they can't be, you know. posted for all to enjoy...

Parmastahir, do you know if those illustrations are from an Australian version of The Hobbit? If so, I might be able to find them online - I have found a wonderful site with illustrations from from various international editions of the book. It has several very interesting pictures of the instrument-playing Dwarves there.

If nothing shows up online, I will most certainly contact you for those illustrations - thank you! As to "when" - no hurry yet; the lecture will be held at the Tolkien Seminar in April here in Germany.

Yes, in the book Oín and Gloín are not mentioned as playing an instrument, so it will be interesting to see how they are portrayed. I always wondered if they might simply have been unmusical! ;)

Williams Illustrations
 

Mr. Williams is an amateur illustrator who has been making Tolkien calendars as Christmas presents for family and friends since 1999. Less than 40 copies of each calendar (same artwork in both the A3 and A4 sizes) exist. His artwork is otherwise unpublished. Therefore, those that I listed are not found anywhere else.

Thank you for the H.O.B.B.I.T.I.S.H. website link. Several fellow collectors specialize in The Hobbit. So I will forward that link to them.

I remain at your service and will proceed when and as you advise!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Esty,

Thank you. What a great link. My main goal at this point is to collect Hobbits, both English and international books, and those covers are great. My most recent one is in Farsi.

Unfortunately, the Esperanto buying link doesn't work. I've been trying to track that one down but haven't gotten anywhere. I have a personal interest in Esperanto. My mom, who is 96, was actually supposed to be raised as the "first Esperanto baby". There was even a little blurb in the Times about it. However, that was a little impractical. If she spoke only Esperanto, which was their stated intention, she would have no one to speak with outside the family. My grandma taught her German and English on the side, much to my grandfather's dismay.

Dwarfish Instruments
 

In response to mark12_30, you have inspired me to change up the Calendar of the Month feature on my website. What I can do for February is post those 11 illustrations as a theme rather than a single calendar. If I can find close to 12 related illustrations for other themes (for instance, how many depictions of Treebeard are there? Or Gandalf?), it would be fun to compare and contrast the styles of the various artists. Thank you for the epiphany!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

M-E Instruments
 

Hello Estelyn -

Found one more. The centerfold poster of the 1977 Tolkien calendar by the Bros Hildebrandt is all of the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf and is titled "An Unexpected Party." You can see it on the Spiderweb Art site:

http://www.spiderwebart.com/productsd.asp?snob=104794

I didn't try this, but it looks like you could download this illustration here:

http://galeria.tolkienianos.com/deta...?image_id=1083

Without a lot of effort (essentially using Google), you could probably several other sources of this particular illustration.

Hope this helps.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Parmastahir, thanks for the links! I really appreciate your helpfulness! Please do let us all know when you've uploaded the individual pictures by Williams to your site.

CotM Updated
 

I (finally) updated the Calendar of the Month feature for February on my website:

www.angelfire.com/tn3/tolkiencalendars

You can now find the 13 illustrations: the 1977 centerfold by the Bros Hildebrandt and 12 by Colin Williams. In order to do any more of such "theme" Calendar of the Month features, I am going to have to go through all of my calendars and compile a list of each illustration . . . no small task as I have collected about 240 of the 271 calendars that I have been able to catalog! Wish me luck!

Thanks all for visiting.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

New Calendar
 

Added a new calendar to the catalog (and my collection): the Pocket (France) "Calendrier 2008 Collector." It has a single Tolkien-related illustration within: "The Fellowship of the Ring" by John Howe. It was a bonus for purchasing Pocket books at Christmas.

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Parmastahir, thank you so much for the calendar illustrations of the Dwarves with their instruments!! I much appreciate the work you put into presenting them, and I shall be able to use them to illustrate my lecture. It's interesting to look at the instruments after reading on the history of musical instruments and figuring out how they were likely to look - historically speaking, a number of the instruments shown are wrong, but since that is one of the aspects I am exploring, it only serves to illustrate my points even better.