TOLKIEN, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings (Rare set of first editions in fine bindings)

Comprising: The Fellowship of the Ring (Thirteenth Impression, 1963); The Two Towers (Tenth Impression, 1963); and The Return of the King (Tenth Impression, 1963). London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1963. Three volumes. Octavo. Finely bound in full crimson morocco, each volume with the Eye of Sauron in gilt, raised bands, black morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt panelled spines, gilt turn-ins, all edges gilt, and housed in matching morocco slipcase. Complete with the original folding maps, all present and in excellent condition. A superb set.

A handsome first edition set of Tolkien’s masterpiece, produced less than a decade after the original publication of The Fellowship of the Ring in 1954. These impressions retain the classic typography, Tolkien’s decorative chapter headings, and the original folding maps which are so often missing or damaged. The elegant binding transforms an already desirable set into a distinguished collector’s edition, combining one of Britain’s finest binderies with one of the twentieth century’s greatest works of imaginative literature.

A beautifully preserved example, ideal for both collectors of fine bindings and admirers of Tolkien’s enduring epic. The presence of all three original maps significantly enhances the desirability of the set.

[L3 8B]