Tolkien, J.R.R. | The Lord of the Rings trilogy, exquisitely bound and inscribed to the author's son

Tolkien, J.R.R.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Comprising: The Fellowship of the Ring. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1954 — The Two Towers. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1955, — The Return of the King. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1955. All 8vo (135 x 219 mm). Half-titles, The Fellowship of the Ring signed by Tolkien, folding maps printed in red and black tipped in at end; very occasional light spotting. Modern full red morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, gilt-paneled with floral tools and green inlay to center- and cornerpieces and spines, replicated on turn-ins, spines with raised bands in six compartments, watered silk endpapers, all edges gilt.

First editions, first printings, with a manuscript leaf bound in inscribed from the author to his son, Christopher Tolkien, dated November 1954. This has been crossed out and the author has written "Copy found damaged on page 163-4." It appears that the original presentation copy was found to be defective; the inscribed leaf was accordingly removed and bound with this new set.

Following the success of The Hobbit in 1937, Allen and Unwin urged Tolkien to produce a sequel. A combination of factors including Tolkien's demanding academic career at Oxford, his exhaustive research, and disagreements as to the creative direction of the story with his publisher meant that The Lord of the Rings did not appear until 1954-55. The term trilogy should be approached cautiously; Tolkien wrote the work as a single book and perceived it as such, and it was his publishers that divided the work into three volumes because of printing costs.

Tolkien's world arose out of his fascination with Celtic and Scandinavian legends, ancient and modern languages, early English literature, especially Beowulf, and his disdain for urbanization, industry and militarization. The Hobbit's borough is reminiscent of a quiet, pre-industrial era, and Sauron and his battle-hardened orcs represent the brute, destructive forces of modernity. In a simpler reading, it presents a hero's journey narrative, and at its core, the forces of good vs evil, propagated by a desire for immortality.

An exquisite set with a most intimate association.

REFERENCE:

West A20-22

PROVENANCE:

Christopher Tolkien (presentation inscription)