the hobbit (Oltre 16.000 risultati)

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Near Fine. 1st Edition. We are thrilled to offer the most unique set of books in our 21 years as a specialist Tolkien dealer, the first four editions of the Hobbit in the original near fine, unrestored condition. Only once before have all four been available. See our website for the links. Allen & Unwin 1st/1st 1937, 1st/2nd 1937, 1st/3rd 1942 and 1st/4th 1946 printings. If you are seriously interested in such a purchase, you already know their importance and publishing history. 1st/1st Hobbits, if they appear, now exceed £230,000, but most of these have restoration seriously reducing their value. The 2nd,3rd and 4th with unrestored dustjackets once appeared fairly regularly, but we have not seen them for many years, except with restored jackets. These go into collections, including legacy libraries and never come out! Regular Tolkien follows and experienced collectors know how rare these now are and will remain so, forever. One of the significant features of the first ten or so printed Hobbits was the text was changed to align it as the prequel to The Lord of the Rings. The first four Hobbits were the original text with gradual modifications until the first printing 1951 2nd edition Hobbit with major changes to chapter five among others. Goblins became Orcs for example. So few of the 1942 dust jackets exist, it was thought for a time they were produced without them due to paper shortages during the war. The 1st/1st Hobbit used no colour illustrations, the 1st/2nd and later used colour. The 3rd and 4th were printed on war-time paper making the books half the thickness, with full sized dustjackets, but the cheap paper made the jackets subject rapid wear and damage especially the 3rd printing. These are just some of the features of the first four. The Hobbit as the authors first book enjoys a much wider collector/investor audience than The Lord of the Rings or his other classic titles making them even more scarce. General first edition collectors add them to modern libraries. J.R.R. Tolkien books are now solidly in the investor asset class of rare literature, not simply passing pop culture. With new films coming and talks of theme parks Tolkien books are poised for new price highs, potentially limitless with unprecedented demand. We can see rare condition sets like these eventually exceeding a million dollars. This is similar to other classic children?s books like the first printings of Alice and Wonderland. We must stress the rarity is the unrestored jacket aspect of these books, not simply that they are the first edition printings. Authentic collectors value original state and the few examples do come on the market have more and more restoration. This only makes these unrestored originals exponentially more valuable. Please note, these may be withdrawn or postpone from sale due to new media interest. We will deliver these to the buyer anywhere in the world, for an added travel fee. Please inquire into additional condition details and more photos. Please, serious inquiries only. We are one the leading and largest specialty Tolkien dealers with over 21 years. We ONLY deal in Tolkien so have to get it right every time, unlike general book dealers. Take some time to research our company Festival Art and Books, our events, Festival in the Shire and our founder and Tolkien expert. Mark D. Faith. Please ask about our free The Tolkien Collectors Guide a monthly newsletter on Tolkien book collecting. We were recently asked whether investors have taken over the Tolkien books market? While prices are rising at every level due to high demand and scarce supply, nearly all our high end customers are equally keen Tolkien fans. They collect what they can afford just like the rest of us! The more famous insist we keep their Tolkien fandom confidential! When we started our business 20 years client discretion was paramount! Nobody then wished to come out of the Tolkien fan closet.

First edition, first issue of Tolkien's classic tale, "among the very highest achievements of childrenâ s authors during the 20th centuryâ (Carpenter & Pritchard, 530), one of only a handful of presentation copies reserved for Tolkien to give to family members, colleagues and close friends. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece and 9 full-page uncolored illustrations after drawings by Tolkien. Presentation copy, inscribed by Tolkien on the flyleaf, "Mr. & Mrs. Livesley & Edgar with best wishes from J.R.R. Tolkien." The recipients, the Livesleys and their son Edgar, ran the Kennaway House, a Regency town house in the village of Sidmouth, East Devon which Tolkien used as a summer holiday home and the surrounds of which inspired the landscapes, flora, and fauna of The Shire", the region of Middle-earth inhabited hobbits first introduced in The Hobbit. Situated on the rocky coast of the rustic Devon countryside, the village of Sidmouth has featured in a number of famed literary works, as "Stymouth" in Beatrix Potter's children's story The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (1930), "Idmouth" in Thomas Hardy's Wessex, "Baymouth" in William Makepeace Thackeray's Pendennis, and "Spudmouth" in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. English poet Elizabeth Barrett lived in the town from 1832 until 1835. In the final stages of The Hobbit's revisions, Tolkien notably penned a list of special recipients he wished to present copies of the first printing of the book to upon publication, including C.S. Lewis, R.W. Chambers, R.W. Chambers, Simone dâ Ardenne, George S. Gordon, Elaine Griffiths, his aunts Mabel Mitton and Florence Hadley, and the Livesleys who hosted him at the Kennaway House. Published on September 21, 1937, the first printing of the Hobbit constituted only 1500 copies and completely sold out by December 15th. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association of the most highly coveted work in fantasy literature. "In enchanted Middle-earth, a small, comfort-loving Hobbit is awakened from his slumbers by a visitor who tells of lost treasure. Before Bilbo Baggins returns home again, he journeys past wizards and elves, talkative trees and treasure-guarding dragons, all swirling in cosmic battle between good and evil. J.R.R. Tolkien's fully realized fantasy world won over generations of children, and dazzled adults with its deft interweaving of medieval legend and made-up languages, maps, and creatures. Tolkien legitimized the modern fantasy genre, and provided the 1960's counterculture with antiwar, back-to-Eden icons" (NYPL Books of the Century 199). â Professor Tolkienâ s epic of Middle Earthâ ¦ [is] one of [the twentieth] centuryâ s lasting contributions to that borderland of literature between youth and age. There are few such booksâ "Gulliverâ s Travels, The Pilgrimâ s Progress, Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote, Alice in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willowsâ "what else?â ¦ [They are] destined to become this centuryâ s contribution to that select list of books which continue through the ages to be read by children and adults with almost equal pleasureâ (Eyre, 67, 134-5). "All historians of childrenâ s literatureâ ¦ agree in placing [The Hobbit] among the very highest achievements of childrenâ s authors during the 20th centuryâ (Carpenter & Prichard, 254, 530). Published on September 21, 1937 in a first printing of only 1500 copies, The Hobbit had completely sold out by December 15. â It may have been a surprise to its publishers that a work as sui generis as The Hobbit should have been a popular success, but once it was a success there can have been no surprise in the clamor for a sequel. Tolkien had opened up a new imaginative continent, and the cry now was to see more of itâ (Shippey, 49).

Condizione: Very Good. First edition. - A MAJOR TOLKIEN AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT ON THE CENTRAL THEMES OF HIS WORK AND CONTAINING A VARIANT HISTORY OF THE FIRST AGE; LIKELY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MANUSCRIPT IN PRIVATE HANDS -A VISUALLY STUNNING HAND-DRAWN CHART, "KINSHIP OF THE HALF-ELVEN," TRACING THE GENEALOGY FROM FËANOR TO ELROND, ARWEN, AND ARAGORN -A LONG, REVEALING LETTER TO EILEEN ELGAR PRESENTING THE MANUSCRIPTS, REFLECTING ON THE RECENT DEATH OF C.S. LEWIS AND DISCUSSING LITERATURE AND WRITING, INCLUDING A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF HIS MIDDLE-EARTH POEM "FASTITOCALON". "Concerning 'The Hoard'" Manuscript: Responding to Eileen Elgar's letter about the meaning of Tolkien's poem "The Hoard," Tolkien here pens what he calls "a long screed" discussing the poem's themes and its relationship to his writing. Only recently published in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book(1962), "The Hoard" was a bardic poem telling of an ancient elven hoard successively claimed by a dwarf, a dragon, and a man - each of whom is killed in consequence of his feverish greed for the hoard. Tolkien here calls The Hoard "one of the main strands in The Silmarillion," and he explains that this work-in-process "concerns the great hoard of Nargothrond, which contained much of the treasure and works of Elvish art that had been preserved from the wreckage of the Elven-kingdoms and the assaults of the Dark Lord from his unassailable stronghold of Thangorodrim in the North." In endeavoring to give his correspondent a fuller idea of "what my proposed book, The Silmarillion, is about," Tolkien then proceeds to give a substantive account of the fate of this legendary hoard and its three great gemstones, the light-capturing silmarils magically crafted by Fëanor. The story arc and First-Age history Tolkien here charts differs in many subtle ways - especially in its rerouting of the Ruin of Doriath - from that found in The Simarillion and other related accounts of First Age history (e.g. the story of Nauglafring, as published in The Book of Lost Tales). But Tolkien's essay "Concerning 'The Hoard'" is much more than a behind-the-scenes look into "The Hoard". The nature of obsession, discussed so vividly in "Concerning 'The Hoard'", is at the core of Tolkien's most celebrated works, namely: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, and "Concerning 'The Hoard'"provides vital insight into the dramatic underpinnings of these works. After explaining in this manuscript how "dark and secret hoards" were originally formed and indicating that such hoards are very often "possessed and guarded by a dragon," Tolkien affirms that such "dragon-hoards were cursed, and bred in men the dragon-spirit: in possessors an obsession with mere ownership, in others a fierce desire to take the treasure for their own by violence and treachery." Beyond the insight such a "dragon-spirit" offers for the immediate analysis of The Silmarillion - where even the noblest of heroes succumb to its obsessive poison and go to extreme lengths to obtain the silmarils - we see the "dragon-spirit" driving the actions surrounding the Arkenstone in The Hobbit and The One Ring in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's essay gives new meaning to the dragon Smaug's role in The Hobbit (and the reveling delight he takes in his hoard) and it further helps us understand the basis for Thorin Oakenshield's insatiable avarice and his fixation on recovering a treasure that he had never seen. InThe Lord of the Ringswe see Bilbo's reluctance to relinquish the One Ring and many of the early pages are occupied by Gandolf's explication to Frodo of how the Ring has affected its bearers. And who, after all, is Gollum but one who succumbed entirely to the "dragon-spirit"? A major unpublished essay, "Concerning 'The Hoard'" is a highly important addition to Tolkien's known work. Broadening the characters and events of Middle-earth history, this manuscript affords us insight into Tolkien's evolving conception of the First Age. This manuscript was unknown to Christopher Tolkien at the time he was piecing together The Silmarillion, and one can only imagine the contribution its text might have made to that work. But even beyond its significance for The Silmarillion, this manuscript offers a penetrating view of how Tolkien conceived the "dragon-spirit" that is a driving force in all his major works. Encapsulating as it does the core history and thematic at the heart of Tokien's legendary works, "Concerning 'The Hoard'" is, to the best of our knowledge, the most significant Tolkien manuscript in private hands. "Kinship of the Half-Elven" Genealogical Tree: Tolkien's 1964 letter to Eileen Elgar also included the offered autograph genealogical tree entitled "Kinship of the Half-Elven". Tolkien was in the habit of creating itemized documents to help him keep track of the rich layers of detail present in his complex narrative structures. This particular tree begins with Fëanor in the early days of the First Age and traces his descent through the House of Hador and the House of Bëor to the Third-Age figures - Elrond, Arwen and Aragorn - we encounter inThe Lord of the Rings. The chart is a stunning visual companion to his work, meticulously and stunningly drawn with black, green, and red ink and pencil. Letter to Eileen Elgar: Tolkien's letter of March 5, 1964, presenting the chart and manuscript to Eileen Elgar, begins on a somber note, with Tolkien explaining that he had been through some troubling times, highlighting that "The death of my friend (C.S. Lewis - whom I do not think you have confused with C.D. Lewis) was the first blow." He then discusses "Concerning 'The Hoard', hoping that it will give Elgar a better idea of what "my proposed book, 'The Silmarillion' is all about." The rest of the letter is a detailed discussion of various aspects of writing and publishing: complaining about proofreaders' attempted changes to passages in The Lord of the Rings, an analysis of certain phrases with an explication.

First editions, first states of each title comprising the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Octavo, 3 volumes, original red cloth, folding maps at the rear of The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Each volume is signed by J.R.R. Tolkien on the front free endpapers. Each volume is housed in a custom half morocco slipcase. The Fellowship of the Ring lacking the folding map at rear. An exceptional set, most rare and uncommon signed. The Lord of the Rings began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II in letters to his son, "and finally, having polished it to his own satisfaction, published it as a trilogy from 1954 to 1955, a volume at a time, impatiently awaited by a growing audience. It is considered one of this century s lasting contributions to that borderland of literature between youth and age. It seems destined to become this century s contribution to that select list of books which continue through the ages to be read by children and adults with almost equal pleasure." (Eyre, 134-35). It has went on to become the third best selling novel of all-time with 150 million copies sold. Near fine in excellent very good to near fine supplied first issue dust jackets with light rubbing and wear.

Condizione: New. Libro nuevo, sellado, fisico, original. Enviamos a todos el mundo por USPS, Fedex y DHL. 100% garantia en su compra. Sealed, new. Unopened. 100%guarentee. We ship worldwide.

No Binding. Condizione: Fine. No Jacket. Barbara Remington (illustratore). First Edition. Betty Ballantine and now Barbara Remington have passed away making this a true historic piece. It was the cult status Tolkien first achieved in America on sale of millions of paperbacks, not in Britain, that would make him a household name by the late 60's. The Hobbit for example was not produced in paper inUK until 1961, Until 1966 his books only sold a few thousand copies a year, hardly a best seller. In fact the Tolkien society fan club first started in America, some five years before. Note, we were recently asked: we own the piece and as the seller, we left the letter addressed anonymously for the next buyer rather than to us. We are pleased to offer for sale, perhaps the most important original Tolkien related art piece. It is truly deserving as a museum piece representing a key turning point in the history of Professor Tolkien popularity. While Tolkien 's own art was used only in the Hobbit This is the original concept art submitted to Mrs Betty Ballantine for the 1965 Ballantine Books first paperbacks of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books in America. It was also used for the promotional posters and banners for what was to become very popular editions. It was produced by artist Barbara Remington as a concept proof before the final colour version was approved. The medium is gouache on card, glued on illustration board with the original stock sticker on the reverse, It comes with a personal COA letter produced on my request . This iconic illustration also has a slightly infamous reputation as Tolkien did not like it initially, but this does not alter its importance to Tolkien lore as we know it today. In 1965 Ace Paperbacks in America released unauthorised editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. This was due to a loophole in US copyright. The rush was then on for Houghton Mifflin, Tolkien' s US publisher in collaboration with Ballantine books to release authorised paperbacks of both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. To close he copyright loophole, a new version of the LotR text was needed, in which Professor Tolkien set out to make changes eventually for the 1966 2nd edition. As was often the case, these revisions were quite delayed, forcing Ballantine Books to rush out a new edition of the Hobbit and using Barbara Remington artwork before she had actually read the books. Thus some of the strange figures in the artwork are not in the book. There was even a lion on the cover of the Hobbit PB until it was airbrushed out. During an interview with N Marion Hage and Andwerve, Barbara said- "I worked for Ballantine, and as a practice, always read the books before doing the artwork. I didn' t have this luxury with the Tolkien Books, Ballantine was in a hurry to get these books out right away. When they commissioned me to do the artwork, I didn 't have the chance to see either book, though I tried to get a copy through my friends. So I didn't know what they were about. I tried finding people that had read them, but the books were not readily available in the states, and so I had sketchy information at best." (As noted above, Barbara did make sketches relative to the books, afterwards, but she couldn' t get the publishers to see the point, something which is very regretful). Professor Tolkien was not impressed with the new Hobbit book cover. In a letter to Rayner Unwin, 12 September 1965, Tolkien wrote: I wrote expressing(with moderation) my dislike of the cover for. Please ask for a complete set of photos! Feel free to ask questions about collecting Tolkien books, we are here. Signed by Illustrator(s).

First edition, first impression, in the first issue jacket, of "the outstanding British work of fantasy for children to appear between the two World Wars, and the first of a series of books which eventually brought Tolkien world-wide fame and created a cult following" (Carpenter & Prichard). Keen to draw similarities with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the publishers claimed parallels between Lewis Carroll and J. R. R. Tolkien. Unfortunately, the blurb on the rear inside flap of the first issue of the dust jacket incorrectly cites the author of Alice as "Dodgeson". This required a correction in ink by hand, as in this copy. Tolkien first scribbled the opening lines of The Hobbit in the late 1920s or early 1930s: "in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." The narrative developed into a tale told to the Tolkien children by their father and he continued to work on it without thought of publication. During the winter of 1932, an incomplete typescript was read by Tolkien's friend and Oxford colleague, C. S. Lewis. By the start of 1936, the narrative broke off at the death of Smaug and a friend of one of Tolkien's pupils, who worked for the publishers Allen & Unwin, read it. She suggested that Tolkien complete the story and submit it to be considered for publication. Tolkien set to work and had nearly finished the story by August that year, sending the typescript to the publishers on 3 October. Production of the book took several months with significant time devoted to the illustrations. Tolkien prepared more than 100 of his own illustrations, although he realised that this number would have to be greatly reduced for publication. Tolkien was also responsible for the dust jacket design, depicting the mountains of Bilbo Baggins's journey in a remarkable night and day combination. It is described by Alan Powers as "stylized art nouveau". The first edition was published on 21 September 1937, and the first impression of 1,500 copies was sold out by December. C. S. Lewis reviewed the book for The Times Literary Supplement on 2 October 1937. He suggested that both The Hobbit and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland "both belong to a very small class of books which have nothing in common save that each admits us to a world of its own - a world that seems to have been going on before we stumbled into it but which, once found by the right reader, becomes indispensable to him". Lewis continued, "to define the world of The Hobbit is, of course, impossible, because it is new. You cannot anticipate it before you go there, as you cannot forget it once you have gone". "Prediction is dangerous," concluded Lewis, "but The Hobbit may well prove a classic". Hammond & Anderson A3a; Carpenter & Prichard, The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature, 1984, p. 254; Grolier Children's 100, 81; C. S. Lewis, "A World for Children", The Times Literary Supplement, 2 October 1937, p. 714; Alan Powers, Front Cover, 2001, p. 24. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine and front cover lettered in dark blue, binding with design in dark blue, map endpapers printed in black and red, top edge green. With dust jacket. Frontispiece and nine illustrations by the author. Head and foot of spine slightly bumped, sections of spine and extremities slightly sunned, minor nick to foot of rear cover, foxing to edges, some toning and foxing to jacket, sections at head and foot of spine professionally restored, price-clipped; a very good copy which presents well.

Second editions of the author's classic trilogy, signed by Tolkien in each volume. Octavo, 3 volumes, original cloth, folding maps. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "Signed for Ethel May with love J. R. R. Tolkien." Volumes two and three are signed by J.R.R. Tolkien on the half-title page. The recipient, Ethel Burchfield was theÂwifeÂof Robert Burchfield, a lexicographer and scholar who was mentored by Tolkien. Burchfield studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was tutored by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Burchfield would go on to develop a Tolkien-like fascination with linguistics and would become theÂeditorÂofÂtheÂSupplement toÂthe Oxford English Dictionary. TheÂtwo men remained friends and correspondents for muchÂofÂtheir lives with Burchfield later crediting Tolkien as "the puckish fisherman who drew me into his glittering philological net." Near fine in near fine dust jackets, with "E. M. Burchfield St. Peters. XII 1967." Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by The Harcourt Bindery. An exceptional set, most rare and desirable signed, with noted provenance. The Lord of the Rings began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II in letters to his son, "and finally, having polished it to his own satisfaction, published it as a trilogy from 1954 to 1955, a volume at a time, impatiently awaited by a growing audience. It is considered one of this century s lasting contributions to that borderland of literature between youth and age. It seems destined to become this century s contribution to that select list of books which continue through the ages to be read by children and adults with almost equal pleasure." (Eyre, 134-35). It has went on to become the third best selling novel of all-time with 150 million copies sold.

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. No Jacket. Extremely Rare Signed Sixth Impression of The Hobbit with Quenya Inscription by J.R.R. Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien. Published George Allen & Unwin in 1971, signed by J.R.R. Tolkien. If you're a collector of J.R.R. Tolkien's work, then this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own an incredibly rare copy of The Hobbit, signed by the author himself. This sixth impression edition from 1971 is a unique find, featuring a personal inscription in Quenya, one of the Elvish languages invented by Tolkien himself. The inscription reads 'tolkīn' in Quenya, making it the only known example of Tolkien writing his name in Elvish in a book. Although the book has no jacket and shows some signs of wear, including small stains and signs of wear on the covers, the textblock remains clean and fine throughout, with some wear noted. One of the illustrations has come loose, but the rest of the book remains intact. The signature and inscription can be found on the same page, alongside an owner signature from B. Haunch. Overall, this unique and collectible copy of The Hobbit is a fine addition to any Tolkien collection, and a must-have for serious collectors. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of literary history and add this incredibly rare signed edition to your collection. Own a Piece of Literary History with this Unique and Collectible Copy of The Hobbit. Signed by Author(s).

Hardcover. Condizione: Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition. On his progress writing ?The Lord of the Rings? J.R.R. Tolkien, 1945 TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973). Autograph letter signed ("Ye olde Professor JRRT") to Leila Keane and Patricia Kirke, Oxford, 9 January 1945. Wonderful and most important letter by JRR Tolkien regarding the Lord of the Rings from 9 years before the books were published. Beautifully presented in a leather book and clam shell case by Temple Bookbinders of Oxford with Tolkiens Ring and Eye design. Fascinating information on the characters and plot in The Lord of the Rings and family life. A similar letter to the same recipients in 1943 regarding the Hobbit sold at Christies New York a few months ago for £100000. Three pages, 85 x 122mm on his blind embossed stationery. A lengthy letter detailing Tolkien's progress with Lord of the Rings. The recipients, Leila Keane and Patricia Kirke, were two young girls who maintained a lengthy correspondence and friendship with Tolkien after reading The Hobbit. Tolkien apologizes for not writing for nearly a year citing his busy work and writing schedule. "That next book is not finished yet, and it almost looks as if you'll be grown up before it is. But I hope you won't quite change your tastes!" He takes time to answer questions from their previous notes: "I illustrated 'The Hobbit' myself (very poorly, I think), but I shan't have time even to try and illustrate this one! I began it about 1938, and it is still growing slowly. Not only the Hobbit (Mr. Baggins), but quite a host of hobbits of the Baggins and other families come into it, as well as a great many creatures and people not before seen . It starts with a 'A Long-expected party' (on Bilbo's 111th birthday), and follows the adventures of Frodo, Bilbo's nephew, and Sam his servant in much longer and more perilous journeys to Rivendell and then far away South to the Mines of Moria, and Rohan and Gondor, and at last to the dreadful land of the Dark Lord . But except to say that?s all about Bilbo's Magic Ring (which I may have told you before) I won't tell the plot." Tolkien explains that there are "five books or parts," and that he had begun work on the fifth with his son "Christopher, who has helped me a lot, and was just drawing some lovely maps, of The Shire (where the Hobbits live) and of the Great Lands, was taken away and has been in Africa nearly a year ." He also reports on his son Michael was "invalided out of the army", his eldest, John was "now a 'Rev.' So all the original Hobbitses are growing up." His daughter Priscilla, "only 15," refused to read the novel until completion, "though she has typed out some of the chapters." He continues with additional family news noting that his son Chris was living in "the Orange River Free State," Tolkien's birthplace, but his son didn't "like it at all. Especially not a Christmas in midsummer, and the moon upside down." Tolkien's full-time academic role slowed progress greatly on Lord of the Rings. He did not complete the manuscript until 1949 and the book took another five years to appear in print (1954-1955). Not published in Carpenter. Any questions please call Andy on 07785110512 (UK) Full Translation: Too long for ABE. Please ask for word doc Page 1 I have to send this to Worcester, the only address I?ve got! My dear Leila and Pat, I am in rather a hole, as I have kept your letters of Aug. and Oct. 1943, but I can?t find the first ones. Of course I?ve kept the last ones by me all this time, meaning and meaning to answer them. It is difficult to believe that more than a whole year has slipped by, a year in which I have been too busy to do anything nice and have hardly done any writing. That next book is not published yet, and it almost looks as if you?ll be grown up before it is. But I hope you won?t quite change your tastes! I must say I was delighted by having a v.nice Christmas card from you. I was glad to know, for one thing, that you were still safe. Signed by Author(s).

First editions, first states of each title comprising the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Octavo, 3 volumes, original red cloth, folding map in the rear of each volume. Near fine in excellent dust jackets with light rubbing and wear. An exceptional set. The Lord of the Rings began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II in letters to his son, "and finally, having polished it to his own satisfaction, published it as a trilogy from 1954 to 1955, a volume at a time, impatiently awaited by a growing audience. It is considered one of this century s lasting contributions to that borderland of literature between youth and age. It seems destined to become this century s contribution to that select list of books which continue through the ages to be read by children and adults with almost equal pleasure." (Eyre, 134-35). It has went on to become the third best selling novel of all-time with 150 million copies sold.

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Allen and Unwin 1946, 4th printing of the 1st Edition. War time paper book and jacket. Unrestored book and jacket, as good as the come for this now are super rare book. Book read once condition, a few light foxing spots in places. Jacket has a small paper loss to top right spine corner and several closed tears. Bright with no foxing. Outstanding condition. Invest today! About restoration. When no more first edition Hobbits with original dust jackets exist, ever, the restored jacket with the minimal restoration might become an option. However, it will only be worth what the original damaged jacket was worth. Restoration adds no value and trying to boost its value falsely with restoration to the same as an original is a complete deception. We think restored copies says more about the buyer, not the seller, caring more about how they look not the item they are buying. Be authentic, buy authentic! Please note, this is a separate copy from my set of the first four printings.

Condizione: New. Libro nuevo, sellado, fisico, original. Enviamos a todos el mundo por USPS, Fedex y DHL. 100% garantia en su compra. Sealed, new. Unopened. 100%guarentee. We ship worldwide.

Condizione: New. Libro nuevo, sellado, fisico, original. Enviamos a todos el mundo por USPS, Fedex y DHL. 100% garantia en su compra. Sealed, new. Unopened. 100%guarentee. We ship worldwide.

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION FIRST PRINTING. 1 vol., 7-11/16" x 5-5/8", Frontispiece & 8 B&W plates and one vignette by Tolkien, advertisement leaf at end, top edge of textblock tinted green, bound in the publisher's original stamped green cloth, map pastedowns and endpapers, internally clean and bright, no foxing, no lean to the spine, inner and outer hinges fine, head and foot of spine fine, back corners square, lower rear corner of the foot of the spine rubbed with some slight loss, completely unsophisticated without any repairs, neat ownership signature of Betty Jean Orton dated Xmas 1937 to front blank endleaf, A NEAR FINE COPY. Provenance: Betty Jean Orton is the daughter of Harold Orton (1898-1975), English dialectologist and lexicographer remembered for his monumental Survey of English Dialects (1962-72). Tolkien began writing The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, as a Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford University. Tolkien's creative perspective was born from a childhood spent briefly in South Africa and then rural England, a short but wretched tour during World War I, and an avid fascination with German philology. Although it was originally billed as a children's book, The Hobbit attracted a varied audience and has been wildly popular since its initial publication. Tolkien built upon the tradition of fantasy literature developed by George MacDonald, Lewis Carroll, and the folk tales of Arabian Nights by inventing a new language?Elvish?and making it accessible for modern-day readers. Such creativity brought rave reviews for The Hobbit. 1,500 copies were published on Sept. 21, 1937 and were sold out by December. Less then three months after publication. REFERENCE: Currey 476; Hammond A3a.

custom folder. Condizione: Very Good. First edition. A REMARKABLY REVEALING LETTER: TOLKIEN DISCUSSES HIS SPECIFIC FEARS ABOUT THE TWO TOWERS AND DEFINES "THE FOUNDATION" OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS AND CONNECTS IT TO HIS LIFE'S WORK. The Fellowship of the Ring (the first volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy) was published on July 29, 1954. There were a number of rave reviews (mostly notably from Tolkien's friend C.S. Lewis) but there were also enough harsh or critical assessments (particularly the reviews in the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Times) to concern Tolkien and make him anxious about the reception of the second volume, The Two Towers. Professional reviews were one worry, but Tolkien always seemed even more eager to discover if his works connected with "regular" readers as well. One such reader whose opinion he held in high regards, was one of his early supporters, Miss F.L. Perry, whom he had corresponded with earlier about The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. The present letter was written on November 22, 1954 -only eleven days after the publication of The Two Towers - but the opening of the letter implies that Tolkien has already written her for her thoughts on his new book ("I did not mean to put you to any trouble") and has been eagerly awaiting her reply. Then, in a revealing passage that gives insight into Tolkien's thinking on potential failures of The Two Towers, he confesses that he worried about how his readers would accept the return of Gandalf (who was presumed dead at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring), and more generally, "would feel a falling off on a failure of their expectations," or "feel they had had enough after the novelty had worn off, and perhaps regret the decrease of hobbitry and elfishness as the darkness increases and war and terror come out of the East." With relief - and evidently pleased with Miss Perry's previous response - he writes that "All this is answered! Though by no means all are so satisfied by Gandalf." It's clear that Miss Perry was curious to learn more about Tolkien's writing and the history of Middle-earth, for Tolkien then goes on a wonderful digression first focusing on The Lord of the Rings before shifting to a discussion of his previously published work grounded in Anglo-Saxon history (noting, interestingly, that he is at his best when he is writing "verses arising from the emotions of a story, and written to represent the feelings of other 'characters' than myself"). He concludes with an important statement identifying the theme that unites all his work, both reality-based and fantasy-based. The historical work, he writes, "is really on the theme which has always engrossed me and is the foundation of 'The Lord of the Rings': the noble and the ignoble. For hobbitry you have the plain farmer-soldier; for the chivalry, a young minstrel or poet." He concludes his letter with the hope that Miss Perry will stay with him through volume III, "when all the complicated plot, and many characters, must be drawn together." The text reads in full: Nov. 22nd 1954 Dear Miss Perry It was very nice indeed of you to write; but I did not mean to put you to any trouble, specially not when unwell. Still, I was anxious about one or two points: specially about the return of Gandalf; and generally whether my friends would feel a falling off on a failure of their expectations; or feel they had had enough after the novelty had worn off, and perhaps regret the decrease of hobbitry and elfishness as the darkness increases and war and terror come out of the East. All this is answered! Though by no means all are so satisfied by Gandalf. However, all the reviews of the T.T. so far have been good, and Edwin Muir (Observer) is much less patronizing. As for the Chronicles: it has been impossible to include all that I have written or sketched out in this book. But there is really quite a lot of stray information about Arwen scattered about. It was the northern Númenórean realm of Isildur with its capitals at Annúminas and Fornost of which a good deal is said in the 'Council of Elrond.' The King of Angmar becomes the Lord of the Ringwraiths, who appears in Book 1, and will appear again. I have written a good deal of verse (of very varying merit), and some of it has been published here and there. But I have never collected it. I think I am best at the kind of thing seen in the present book - verses arising from the emotions of a story, and written to represent the feelings of other 'characters' than myself. The very long narrative poems, I do not suppose will be ever published. They may! Of longer things a 'Breton Lay,' Aotrou and Itroun was published in the 'Welsh Review' (now deceased); and on Dec. 3 you can hear (if you wish) a dramatic dialogue in alliterative verse concerning the 'Battle of Maldon (fought A.D. 991), broadcast by the B.B.C. It might interest you since it concerns one of the most heroic events in Anglo-Saxon history, and is the history of Essex; the death of the great Duke Byrhhnoth of Essex in battle with the Vikings of Anlaf (Olaf Tryggvason) of Norway. And also because it is really on the theme which has always engrossed me and is the foundation of 'The Lord of the Rings': the noble and the ignoble. For hobbitry you have the plain farmer-soldier; for the chivalry, a young minstrel or poet. I hope you will soon be better. And I hope, too, that you will continue to approve of Vol III, when all the complicated plot, and many characters, must be drawn together. Thank you once more for your kindness in writing, and for the great encouragement you have given. Yours sincerely, [signed] J.R.R. Tolkien Autograph Letter Signed. Four pages on two sheets (170 x 132 mm) of Tolkien's 76 Sandfield Road stationery. Custom presentation folder. Usual mailing folds, a few spots, particularly on last page; visually very attractive, showcasing Tolkien's famous calligraphic handwriting. As far as we can tell, this letter is unpublished. References: Carpenter, Humphrey. J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography. Boston: Hou.

First Edition. A COLLECTION OF 40 SIGNED HOLOGRAPHIC LETTERS SPANNING THE YEARS 1964 THRU 1993; 14 from Edith Tolkien (wife of J.R.R.) dated 1964 thru 1971 and 26 from Priscilla (only daughter of J.R.R. & Edith) dated 1969 thru 1993; most in fine condition, many multi-page; all but two with original envelope when called for and all addressed to long time family friend Professor W. Meredith Thompson of Canada. Some details/highlights: Edith thanks Meredith for naming her the dedicatee of his book and receipt of same; mentions that her and J.R.R. give nicknames to those people they are fond of (indeed in all 14 letters from Edith, she refers to the recipient as "My Dear Merrie Tom"); notes that the pirated edition (Ace paperback publication) of THE LORD OF THE RINGS is causing her husband extra work and delaying work on his next book; the reasons leading up to leaving and selling their Oxford residence; J.R.R.'s fall down the stairs and complicated knee surgery and later thrombosis as well as other serious ailments; referring to various titles by J.R.R., Priscilla mentions and thanks the recipient for the good times spent by him with her parents; how neither of her parents are very practical people despite being so different from each other; the sudden death of her mother, Edith, and the causes and last days as well as who was able to see her and who was not and the funeral services in Bournemouth, but the actual burial in Oxford; how her father held up during these times; the return of her father to Merton College and how he was welcomed with lodging there; his much needed socialization in Oxford; his trip to London with her and brother John to receive the C.B.E.; thanks Meredith for the copy of THE LAST UNICORN but states "although perhaps rather obviously imitative of Tolkien in style, it (does) not contain the interest because (it's) a rather more crude fairy tale;" a trip to Edinburgh, one of her favorite cities, where her father received an honorary degree and held up well with banquets and festivities; how she was helped so much by his (Meredith Thompson) sympathy and kind words concerning her fathers passing; that her father was lonely without his wife but was bolstered by all those back at Oxford and happy to be in familiar surroundings; that just prior to his death he began hemorrhaging while spending time in Bournemouth due to an ulcer but had excellent medical care; how she and brother John were able to spend precious time with her father while still conscious but that brothers Michael & Christopher were alas unable to do so but were there for the funeral; that Christopher was named Literary Executor; that Michael had a near nervous breakdown perhaps precipitated by his fathers death; that brother John was coping well and a great comfort to her; that the younger members of the family were likewise supporting; she extends an invitation for Christmas this year (1973); that she encloses a photo (here present) of her father next to his favorite tree along with two of his grandchildren, among the last photos ever taken of him; that enclosed newspaper cuttings of her fathers death are his to keep (likewise here present): thanking the recipient for his hospitality when she went to see him; that her brother Christopher has to yield his teaching fellowship to begin work on the publication of THE SILMARILLION; the excitement of the on going preparation of the Tolkien biography by Humphrey Carpenter; the recently released Caedmon recordings of her father reading from both THE HOBBIT & LORD OF THE RINGS; cousins living in Canada; slowly going through her fathers papers to give to the Bodleian Library; the 50th anniversary celebration of THE HOBBIT and exhibition of manuscripts and drawings at the Bodleian Library along with window displays at new bookstores; etc. All in all, very chatty, informational and personal letters about the above as well as state of health, vacationing in different places, welfare of children and grandchildren, thank y.

Hardcover. Condizione: Near Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Fine. 1st Edition. Condition: Near-Fine. 1st edition: 4th impression, so stated on the limitation page. The only real defect on the book is a small stain on the text block fore edge. The book is very clean inside and out, and the covers and spine are clean and bright. The text is also clean and bright. The maps of Lonely Mountain in the front and Wilderland in the back are also clean and bright, with just a tiny hint of age browning on the edge of the Wilderland free end paper. A 1-inch tear has been closed and repaired at the bottom of pps. 127-128, and the front free endpaper map page has 2 very slight creases, one on the upper right corner, and another on the following blank page. The book has been conserved, and Tolkien's famous original jacket has in addition been expertly restored to near-pristine condition. The 4th impression was the last printing of Tolkien's original story, before his revisions to the book in the early 1950s to more closely comport with the story of The Lord of the Rings, then in progress.

Hardcover. Condizione: Very Good. Condizione sovraccoperta: Very Good. 1st Edition. HARDBACK - A very good book bound in the publisher's green cloth boards with black lettering to the spine. The boards are very clean indeed with no fading or colour loss to the spine. There is mild pushing to the spine tips with light bumping to the top corner of the front board. Internally, the pages are clean with light foxing to the page blocks, but with no signs of foxing to the inner text. There is a small owner name in blue ink to the top corner of the front end-paper with a small christmas 1939 present to the bottom corner of the front paste down. The green top-stain is still present but has faded somewhat. There are a couple of faint stains to the base of the page block that do not encroach into the inner text. The dust wrapper is the correct second impression, and is also in very good condition with mild toning to the spine. There are small chips to the tip and tail of the spine, also with small chips to the corners of the front and rear flap folds. The dust wrapper's has some foxing with light soiling to the verso of the wrapper that do not show through to most of the wrapper, but foxing can be seen to the white portion of the upper front panel. Overall, a clean dust wrapper considering its age, with the publisher's printed price of 7s.6d.net. present to the front flap. The second impression is dated 1937, but was actually published in January 1938, saw the first appearance of four additional colour illustrations by Tolkien. Some 2300 copies were originally printed, although 423 copies were destroyed at the binders during the London Blitz in 1940. Scarce thus.

Three volumes. Signed by Tolkien to the title pages of each volume. The first volume is a second impression of the second edition (1967), the other two are eleventh impressions (1965). Each volume in original red cloth with gilt titles on the spine and all in the second edition's dustwrappers. A very good set indeed, in very good dustwrappers. Fold out maps to the rear of each volume, printed in red and black, drawn by Christopher Tolkien. A good association copy of Tolkien's epic work of fantasy, inscribed for the accountant in charge of paying his royalties. In July 1972, Tolkien reported to his son Christopher of a rare visit to the offices of Allen & Unwin: "A car was sent for me and I went to the new offices. of Allen & Unwin. To this I paid a kind of official visitation, like a minor royalty, and was somewhat startled to discover the main business of all this organisation of many departments was dealing with my works. Accountancy told me that sales of The Hobbit were rocketing up into hitherto unreached heights" (11th July 1972). It is conceivable that it was on this visit that he signed this set of The Lord Of The Rings for Abbott.

nb. Condizione: Very Good. First edition. ONE OF THE FINEST C.S. LEWIS LETTERS TO APPEAR ON THE MARKET, OFFERING INSIGHT INTO THE CREATION OF THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. WITH MENTION OF TOLKIEN'S "THE HOBBIT" AS A FAVORITE BOOK. Between the publication of the second (Prince Caspian) and third (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) books in his masterpiece series, "The Chronicles of Narnia," Lewis writes to a group of school children, revealing his thoughts about the series and his plans for the remaining books. Over the course of the letter, Lewis: -regrets that Peter and Susan are not returning to Narnia ("they are now getting to the age at which people stop having that sort of adventure for a time"); -offers a preview of the new book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ("Lucy and Edmund find Caspian (now King of course) on board ship, sailing to the Eastern end of the Narnian world. There will be lots about Reepicheep. And there will be a Sea Serpent, and a Dragon, and lots of strange islands."); -announces that there will be seven books in the series and that they will be called "The Chronicles of Narnia"; -discusses the sixth book (revealing that the Professor must have known all along about the existence of the magic wardrobe); -tantalizingly reveals that the series is very much a work in progress, and that he does not yet know how it will end ("I don't know yet what will happen in the seventh. What do you think would be a good thing to end the whole series with? Of course Aslan will come into them all."); -lists some books he particularly likes, including Tolkien's The Hobbit and Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. The letter reads in full: Magdalen College Oxford May 22. 1952 My dear grittletonians - Thanks for your nice and interesting letters. Like you, I am sorry that Peter and Susan are not going back to Narnia, but I think, being the two eldest, they are now getting to the age at which people stop having that sort of adventure for a time - they may start having it again later, but not for some years. The new book is called The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Lucy and Edmund find Caspian (now King of course) on board ship, sailing to the Eastern end of the Narnian world. There will be lots about Reepicheep. And there will be a Sea Serpent, and a Dragon, and lots of strange islands. I do hope you will all like it. I intend to have seven of these stories altogether - that is, four more after the next one. They will be called The Chronicles [page break] of Narnia. The sixth ['fifth' deleted and corrected] book will go right back to the beginning and explain how there came to be that magic wardrobe in the Professor's house - for of course you will have guessed that the old Professor must have known something about things like that himself, or else he would never have believed what the children told him. I don't know yet what will happen in the seventh. What do you think would be a good thing to end the whole series with? Of course Aslan will come into them all. I wonder what other books you all like. I like George MacDonald's two Curdy books and Tolkien's The Hobbit, and [Kenneth Grahame's] The Wind in the Willows. Do you write stories yourselves? I did at your age: it is the greatest fun. Love and good wishes to all. Yours ever, [signed] C.S. Lewis P.S. E. Nesbitt's works are splendid, I think: especially The Phoenix and the Wishing Carpet and The Amulet. ----------- The recipients of the letter, the "Grittletonians", were schoolchildren attending Grittleton House School in Wiltshire who had (apparently) written a fan letter to Lewis. Note: This letter has only recently surfaced and is not in Lewis's Collected Letters. Oxford: May 22, 1952. Two pages (one sheet), 5.5x8.5 inches; custom presentation folder. Top edge a little rough (where the sheet was originally cut), expected folds. A REMARKABLE LETTER: LEWIS LETTERS DISCUSSING ASPECTS OF HIS NARNIA SERIES ARE EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE.

Condizione: Fine. Signed original watercolor by Rackham created for his illustrated edition of Wagner's SIEGFRIED, beautifully matted and framed. The image shows the Wanderer and the Dwarf; the former has challenged the dwarf to answer a second riddle in order to save his life, a scene not coincidentally reminiscent of Gollum and Bilbo in Tolkien's book THE HOBBIT. A tremendous piece, richly colored and with much detail. 10.25'' x 6.25'' (watercolor); 20.25'' x 16.25'' (frame). Professionally matted and framed. Signed by Rackham and dated 1911.

Condizione: Near Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Very Good to Near Fine. First editions. A first printing set of Tolkien's epic masterpiece. Near Fine copies of all the books, free of previous owner names or markings. Minor foxing and offsetting to the end papers, otherwise clean throughout. Dust jacket for book one has been restored, cracks to the folds have been repaired and minor loss at the spine ends has been filled in. Jackets for books 2 and 3 are unrestored and in very nice condition overall. Book 2 jacket is price-clipped at the lower corner of the front flap, spine a bit darkened and small chips at the crown. Book 3 jacket with the spine a bit darkened and a small crease at the crown, second state with the reviews for the first two books on the rear flap. Page 49 with sagging type in book 3. Complete with all the original maps. Only 3000 copies of the first book, 3,250 of the second and 7,000 of the final book were produced. Housed in a red quarter-leather clamshell case. A timeless classic and a cornerstone of the fantasy genre, The Lord of The Rings follows the adventures of the hobbit Frodo Baggins and his compatriots as they battle the Dark Lord Sauron, and attempt to destroy the ring that gives him power over Middle Earth. Tolkien began writing the novel when he was 45 and it took him 12 years to finish it. (The Lord of the Rings would not be published until 1955.) The books, which were inspired by Tolkien's interest in subjects as far reaching as mythology and philology, went on to become a sensation - selling over 150 million copies and being translated into over 30 languages. W.H. Auden called The Lord of the Rings a "masterpiece", and it has appeared on Le Monde's list of the 100 best books of the century. The books were also adapted into the Oscar award winning film trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson and starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen. ".among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century." (Contemporary Sunday Telegraph Review). Near Fine in Very Good to Near Fine dust jacket.

Condizione: Good. First Edition. First edition, first printing. Bound in publisher's green cloth with dark green pictorial stamping, top edge stained green. Good, with soling and wear to cloth, cloth thinned at foot of spine and front joint, with a moderate partial split to the rear joint though binding intact. Light foxing to textblock edge. Owner initials to front free endpaper, owner bookplates to front free endpaper and the following blank sheet with light wrinkling to those pages; bookplate to blank is covering evidence of a previous bookplate removal. Pages tanned, lightly thumbed. One of a mere 1,500 copies of the first printing of Tolkien's fantasy classic.

custom folder. Condizione: Very Good. First edition. EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE PUBLICATION, TOLKIEN ANXIOUSLY INTRODUCES HIS MASTERPIECE, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, TO A FAN OF THE HOBBIT. Tolkien had begun work on The Lord of the Rings in December of 1937 and by early 1950, after over twelve years of labor, the writing was essentially complete. The road to publication, however, was not an easy one, for Tolkien feared his book would have difficulty finding an audience. In February, 1950, he wrote about his concerns to his publisher (Allen & Unwin): "My work has escaped from my control and I have produced a monster: an immensely long, complex, rather bitter, and rather terrifying romance, quite unfit for children (if fit for anybody)." (Carpenter, 213). Tolkien's admission that he had produced a "monster" turned out to be prescient, for seeing the book through publication proved to be a challenge for both him and his publisher and three years after completion, the first volume (The Fellowship of the Rings) was still not in print. At the time of the present letter -December 2, 1953 -publication finally seemed imminent, and Tolkien was understandably nervous. Writing to Mrs. F.L. Perry, a fan of The Hobbit, he explains the delays in publication (it was supposed to be published by Christmas, 1953), worries that the book will be too long and expensive to reach a wide audience, introduces the world of The Lord of the Rings and expresses his hopes that she will like the book despite humbly worrying that it is filled with too much history, geography, and genealogy. His was right to be concerned about further delays in publication -the first edition of The Fellowship of the Ring wouldn't actually appear until July 29, 1954 - but of course his other major concern -that the book would not find an audience - was wildly misguided. The letter reads in full: December 2nd, 1953 Dear Mrs. Perry, Thank you very much for your letter, and kind words. All I can say is that, if you have so much enjoyed The Hobbit, then at least you will not be disappointed with The Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately, I have not only been crushingly busy this year, but also during October and November often ill, and certain adjuncts, necessary to publication, which only I can supply (e.g. maps) have been so long delayed that issue of Vol. I for Christmas, as planned, has become impossible. I hope it will appear early in 1954, and the next two vols. in quick succession. I am correcting the proofs of Vol. II at the moment. I do not know the price yet. Alas! Having put so much into this sequel, it has grown to such a large book that size and cost alone will, I fear, keep it out of many hands that would enjoy it. But I hear that the Americans are taking it up, after seeing an advance copy of Vol. I, and I am told that may make a larger issue and a rather lower price possible on the side of the Water. There is no more about Mirkwood or the northern countries, I am afraid; and the story moves away down the Great River to the kingdoms of the South. But there is a great deal of Ancient History and geography and genealogy in it: too much, I dare say, for all but the most devoted friends of Hobbits. I would send you some proof-copies, if I had any to spare, and if I did not think that you would enjoy it more, when it is complete, and has maps and appendices and all. But I hope very much that when at last you get it you will not be disappointed. It will take a very long time to read, even once, and even quickly! Yours sincerely, [signed] JRR Tolkien Typed Letter Signed ("J.R.R. Tolkien") to Mrs. F.L. Perry, two pages, on one half-sheet (both sides) of Tolkien's 76 Sandfield Road stationery. Center mailing fold, two tiny closed tears at extreme edges; generally fine. Housed in custom presentation folder. As far as we can tell, this letter is unpublished. References: Carpenter, Humphrey. J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.

Hardcover. Condizione: Good. Condizione sovraccoperta: Good. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITIONS, FIRST PRINTINGS WITH AN INSCRIPTION BY TOLKIEN. Mounted at the front of the first volume is a small leaf inscribed by Tolkien: For Mr Hal Coomer in memory of a pleasant meeting & suffering shared, on Whitsunday, 1958. J. R. R. Tolkien. The two had appeared together on a radio program. The set is accompanied by a letter dated 3 June 1958 from Tolkien s publisher George Allen & Unwin. In this letter to Coomer, the publisher notes, We do not normally disclose our author s addresses, but we know how much Professor Tolkien enjoyed meeting you and are sure that he would like you to write to him direct, giving the address in Oxford. Tolkien evidently replied to Coomer s letter with this inscription to put in his first edition of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien worked on this epic, not so much a trilogy as a long novel, from the publication of The Hobbit (1937) until the early 1950s. Beginning with the appearance of the second edition of 1966 and the nearly simultaneous appearance of the paperback edition in America, The Lord of the Rings became one of the best-selling works of fiction of the century. This is the paradigmatic work of modern heroic fantasy. . . . Its success was not immediate, but its publication in paperback was an event sufficiently momentous to transform completely the market situation of heroic fantasy, and hence bring about a new era in its history. The Lord of the Rings made fantasy a significant publishing category and inspired a deluge of new works. The astonishing reception and influence of this work qualify it as one of the most remarkable literary phenomena of the 20th century (Barron, ed., Fantasy Literature). Three volumes. Folding map in each volume. Return of the King is second state with sig. 4 and slipped type on p. 49 (this was formerly Hammond s first state, but the bibliographer has revised his opinion). Original red cloth and printed dust jackets. Show-through staining from old removed tape repairs to jackets of vols. 1-2, some wear, spines tanned. A good set. The size of the edition was small: The Fellowship of the Ring (3000 copies), The Two Towers (3250 copies), and The Return of the King (7000 copies). Inscribed by Author(s).

Hardcover. Condizione: Good. 1st Edition. Three volumes. Folding map in each volume. Return of the King is second state with sig. 4 and slipped type on p. 49 (this was formerly Hammond s first state, but the bibliographer has revised his opinion). Original red cloth and printed dust jackets. Show-through staining from old removed tape repairs to jackets of vols. 1-2, some wear, spines tanned. A good set. FIRST EDITIONS, FIRST PRINTINGS. This is a very attractive set of the celebrated Lord of the Rings trilogy. The size of the edition was small: The Fellowship of the Ring (3000 copies), The Two Towers (3250 copies), and The Return of the King (7000 copies). WITH AN INSCRIPTION BY TOLKIEN. Mounted at the front of the first volume is a small leaf inscribed by Tolkien: For Mr Hal Coomer in memory of a pleasant meeting & suffering shared, on Whitsunday, 1958. J. R. R. Tolkien. The two had appeared together on a radio program. The set is accompanied by a letter dated 3 June 1958 from Tolkien s publisher George Allen & Unwin. In this letter to Coomer, the publisher notes, We do not normally disclose our author s addresses, but we know how much Professor Tolkien enjoyed meeting you and are sure that he would like you to write to him direct, giving the address in Oxford. Tolkien evidently replied to Coomer s letter with this inscription to put in his first edition of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien worked on this epic, not so much a trilogy as a long novel, from the publication of The Hobbit (1937) until the early 1950s. Beginning with the appearance of the second edition of 1966 and the nearly simultaneous appearance of the paperback edition in America, The Lord of the Rings became one of the best-selling works of fiction of the century. This is the paradigmatic work of modern heroic fantasy. . . . Its success was not immediate, but its publication in paperback was an event sufficiently momentous to transform completely the market situation of heroic fantasy, and hence bring about a new era in its history. The Lord of the Rings made fantasy a significant publishing category and inspired a deluge of new works. The astonishing reception and influence of this work qualify it as one of the most remarkable literary phenomena of the 20th century (Barron, ed., Fantasy Literature). Inscribed by Author(s).

Hardback. Condizione sovraccoperta: Good. First Edition. The Lord of the Rings is one of the bestselling novels ever written, having sold over 150 million copies, and has been named Britain's bestloved novel of all time in BBC's The Big Read. This first edition, first issue set is scarce and highly collectible; with only 3000 copies of the first instalment, 3250 of the second and 7000 of the third. All in original, unrestored dust jackets bearing the iconic motif of the 'eye of Sauron'. All jackets unclipped with the price of '21s net' displayed. All volumes are in original publisher's red cloth with gilt tooled title to spines. Top edge of text block coloured red to all books. Faint pencil inscription to books one and two which can easily be erased. Neat ink inscription to ffep of volume one 'Joyce CarjerSmith sic. Book one has some bumping to spine edges with a little fading to cloth here; and two small faded marks, one along the bottom edge of the cover and one at the foreedge. To the jacket there is toning, and darkening to spine. Spine edges are a little worn with shallow chips, not affecting text. Shallow split about 1 cm in length to hinge at the top. Creasing to spine over printed 'J. R. R.' although still legible. Very small dark mark covering the 't' in 'part' to the spine. Endpapers are toned. Faint infrequent spotting to some of the pages, marginal and mostly to the rear. Fold out map to rear is present and intact; clean and crisp. 424 pp foldout map. Book two has a little bumping and fading to spine edges of cloth, and very slight fading along the bottom edge of the cover. The jacket is toned with darkening to spine. Shallow chips to spine edges, and shallow loss to top left edge of spine, about 1 cm in length, not affecting text. Split to lower hinge of jacket about 1.5 cm in length. Light toning to endpapers. Very faint marginal spotting occasionally to rear pages. Fold out map to rear present and intact; clean and crisp. 352 pp fold out map. Book three has very minor bumping to spine edges of cloth binding, otherwise sharp. Jacket is lightly toned to extremities but crisp without chipping. Faint toning and some foxing to ffep and rear endpapers. Very faint spotting to edge of text block. Fold out map to rear is present and intact; crisp and clean. 416 pp fold out map.nbsp; book.

Hardcover. Condizione: Fine. Condizione sovraccoperta: Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition, First Printing with the bowing hobbit image printed on the title page, A magnificent copy. This ORIGINAL dustjacket is rich in color with NO chips or tears with minor repair. This First Issue dustjacket has the publisher's $2.50 printed price present on the front flap. The book is bound in the publisher's tan cloth and is excellent condition and appears UNREAD. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A superb copy in collector's condition. We buy Tolkien First Editions.

No Binding. Condizione: Fine. Handwritten postcard signed by JRR Tolkien to Miss Kilbride Autograph postcard signed (JRR Tolkien), to Miss [Katherine or Kitty] Kilbride, giving news of the travails suffered that year and of his family, and complaining about the state of Oxford in the age of Morris Motors. The card reproducing in colours Josef Madlener's Heilige Familie (published in series of six by F.A. Ackermann), one page, closely written in a minute hand, minor creasing to corners and discoloration but overall in fine and attractive condition, 8vo, [Oxford], 24 December 1938. It is quite densely written and is a nice sampling of his handwriting. Footnotes The postcard showing the Holy Family walking through a Tolkienesque wooded glade with mountains in the distance - another such postcard by Joseph Madlener, entitled Der Berggeist (Mountain Spirit), executed in strikingly similar style, showing a white-bearded sage in a wide-brimmed hat feeding a lamb, was preserved by Tolkien in an envelope marked 'Origin of Gandalf'. That card, like ours, was published by Ackermann, albeit in 1935. Another link with The Lord of the Rings is the account Tolkien gives in our card of Oxford, which brings to mind the debased state of the Shire after Saruman's despoiling modernization: "Oxford is changing very fast and mostly (not wholly) for the worse. It is no longer a University town. The old dialect is driven off the streets, and the old shops are fast being replaced by the dreary semi-municipal architecture of a London suburb; the field for miles are covered with mass produced 'dormitories'. All to house an inessential (and indeed pernicious) industry [Morris Motors]. But people have done that sort of thing since the world began! This is an exceptionally early letter by Tolkien: only nine, two of them formal addresses, predating it in the collection published by Humphrey Carpenter, where ours does not appear; the main sequence of the published letters beginning in 1937 with Letter 10. The recipient is K.M. (Katherine or Kitty) Kilbride, who had met Tolkien when studying in Oxford, it is believed at a summer school, and is thought to have been teacher living at Bradford. Her copy of the The Hobbit was sold at Sotheby's New York, 13 December 2002, lot 152, for $75,000. Signed by Author(s).