Lot 362•
TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, George Allen and Unwin, [1954-1955]
9 November 2022, 11:00 GMT
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £19,125 inc. premium
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TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, without "sagging text" and signature mark "4" on p.49 of 'The Return', each with a folding map printed in red and black, bookseller's label ("Blackwell's, Oxford, England") inside upper cover of "The Fellowship", publisher's red cloth ('Fellowship' with small single damp spot on spine, 2 on lower cover and light white mark and pencil mark on upper cover), dust-jackets (unclipped, age soiling to spines, "Fellowship" frayed at spine extremities with small loss to lettering "J.R.R." at head, splitting at lower joint; "Two Towers" with short tear at foot of spine and small loss to blank head of spine, small old tape remnants inside cover at spine ends; "Return" with tear - approx. 65mm. to blank area of upper cover, spine ends frayed with small loss not touching text), 8vo, George Allen and Unwin, [1954-1955]
Footnotes
Provenance: Ian B. Bishop, inscription dated September 1954 inside upper cover of The Fellowship, and October 1955 inside upper cover of The Return. Bishop (1926-1990) studied Literature at Oxford University and was Barker Exhibitioner. Tolkien was one of his supervisors, and supported Bishop joining Bristol University, where he specialised in the teaching of Medieval literature; by descent to current owner.