TOLKIEN, J.R.R. (1892-1973). [The Lord of the Rings trilogy:] The Fellowship of the Ring. 1954. -- The Two Towers. 1954. -- The Return of the King. 1955. All London: Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Together, 3 volumes, 8vo. Folding map tipped-in each volume at rears, single-page map in The Fellowship. (Spotting or toning to endpapers.) Original red cloth, gilt-lettered spine (spines sunned or darkened and with some fraying at ends, spines a bit skewed, cover fore-edges worn on The Fellowship, spotting to text block and covers). Provenance: Margaret Louise Hunter (bookplate and inscription in Return of the King); booksellers' tickets in others.
FIRST EDITIONS, mixed set of the first and second impressions: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers are second impressions; The Return of the King is a FIRST IMPRESSION. The Return of the King with signature mark “4” and sagging type on page 49 (a state which Hammond’s bibliography originally posited to be the “first state,” but which is now considered indicative of a second or third state). Hammond noted this misinterpretation in Issue 11 of The Tolkien Collector (October 1995). The three variants are of manufacture only and would have been published simultaneously. WIDELY REGARDED AS THE GREATEST WORK OF FANTASY LITERATURE. Hammond A5a-i, ii, and iii; Bleiler, Supernatural Fiction 1606-8; Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels 16; Cawthorn & Moorcock, Fantasy: The 100 Best Books 76.
This lot is located in Chicago.
![TOLKIEN, J.R.R. (1892-1973). [The Lord of the Rings trilogy:] The Fellowship of the Ring . 1954. -- The Two Towers . 1954. -- The Return of the King . 1955. All London: Allen & Unwin Ltd.](https://assets.basta.app/accounts/4832eb18-f9a7-4c12-8295-871abe232696/images/7e824a4f-5736-40e6-9f2d-abcc66f5c18a?format=auto&width=1080&quality=75)
![TOLKIEN, J.R.R. (1892-1973). [The Lord of the Rings trilogy:] The Fellowship of the Ring . 1954. -- The Two Towers . 1954. -- The Return of the King . 1955. All London: Allen & Unwin Ltd.](https://assets.basta.app/accounts/4832eb18-f9a7-4c12-8295-871abe232696/images/ccb2cc7d-043c-4f37-bda3-e81762a09569?format=auto&width=1080&quality=75)
![TOLKIEN, J.R.R. (1892-1973). [The Lord of the Rings trilogy:] The Fellowship of the Ring . 1954. -- The Two Towers . 1954. -- The Return of the King . 1955. All London: Allen & Unwin Ltd.](https://assets.basta.app/accounts/4832eb18-f9a7-4c12-8295-871abe232696/images/8112e6c7-6c94-4033-8112-1fe83a671179?format=auto&width=1080&quality=75)
