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I'm certain that I read a passage from Tolkien somewhere expressing how disturbed/confused he was that anyone would want to make or possess a replica of the One Ring, being as it is a symbol of evil. But I cannot remember where I read this, and my Google-Fu comes up with nothing. Any ideas?

I am not certain that the passage in question was written by Tolkien himself; it could have been a commentator sharing their opinion as to how Tolkien would have reacted to such things. But it was in a published work, not an online comment.

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    @Edlothiad - He said (to Auden) that he didn't think that genuine lunatics would join a Tolkien society. The implication being that he thought that members would be run-of-the-mill everyday lunatics.
    – Valorum
    Jan 7, 2018 at 20:51
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    In an interview with Time it's mentioned that he used to refer to his fans as "my deplorable cultus"; "The funny thing," says Simon Tolkien, grandson of J.R.R. and author of the forthcoming novel Final Witness, "was that he was most famous on your side of the Atlantic. I think the English establishment was slightly suspicious of him." In fact, Tolkien found all the fuss distasteful. "Many young Americans are involved in the stories in a way that I'm not," he once remarked about his fans--or as he called them, "my deplorable cultus."
    – Valorum
    Jan 7, 2018 at 20:57
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    Well, it's his fault for making the evil thing something easy to carry around, and the good things, which are mostly swords (Anduril, Glamdring, Sting), well, swords. One of these things I can carry about me at all times to expose my appreciation for his work, the other one will get me shot by the police.
    – n_b
    Jan 8, 2018 at 16:24
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    @n_b you could settle carrying one of galadriel's gifts. Preferably not the rope...
    – user68762
    Jan 8, 2018 at 16:43
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    Concerning the product link you posted, you may be interested to know that Badali Jewelry sells a significantly cheaper replica. The main difference between the two is that JensHansen is licensed to make movie replicas and Badali is licensed to make book replicas.
    – ibid
    Jan 8, 2018 at 17:38

1 Answer 1

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While not specifically about wearing one ring replicas, Tolkien expressed his distaste for fans using its inscription in Letter #343.

343. From a letter to Sterling Lanier 21 November 1972

I am glad to know that you were awarded a prize, but not surprised that it proved useless. I had a similar disappointment when a drinking goblet arrived (from a fan) which proved to be of steel engraved with the terrible words seen on the Ring. I of course have never drunk from it, but use it for tobacco ash.

Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

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  • This is a pretty moot answer, which doesn’t answer the question given that there is a quote from Tolkien on the matter
    – Edlothiad
    Jan 8, 2018 at 17:36
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    @Edlothiad - It's a quote from Tolkien expressing bafflement at fans using the one ring inscription, being as it is a symbol of evil.
    – ibid
    Jan 8, 2018 at 17:39

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