The Lord of the Rings trilogy - photo 1

The Lord of the Rings trilogy

Lot 145
06.10.2022 12:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 21 420
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 813644
Lot 145 | The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Estimate value
$ 12 000 – 18 000
The Lord of the Rings trilogy

J.R.R. Tolkien, 1954-55

TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973). Lord of the Rings Trilogy – The Fellowship of the Ring. London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. [With:] – The Two Towers. London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. [And:] – The Return of the King. London: Allen & Unwin, 1955.



One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,

One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them



The first edition, first impression, of the greatest fantasy trilogy of the modern era. C.S. Lewis wrote of it that: “no imaginary world has been projected which is at once as multifarious and so true to its own inner laws; none so seemingly objective, so disinfected from the taint of an author’s merely individual psychology; none so relevant to the actual human situation yet so free from allegory.” Tolkien, a noted scholar of Old English, conceived the idea for his tales set in “Middle Earth” while in the trenches of the First World War; its immense influence has been felt ever since.



The present is a lovely set comprising the first edition, first impression of the first two books and the first edition, first impression, second state of The Return of the King. Hammond’s bibliography originally noted that the first impression, first state, was marked by the signature mark “4” and sagging type on page 49, but has since corrected this to say that these are indicative of the first impression, second state. Hammond and Anderson A5.a.i-iii.



Three volumes, octavo. Half titles, each volume with map printed in red and black tipped in at rear (vol. 2 map with some spotting). Original red cloth (slight lean to spines, a little spotting to top edges); pictorial dust jackets printed in red, black, and gold (spines a little toned and worn, some general rubbing to panels and wear at corners, vol. 1 lower panel separated at spine fold and separation started on front flap) . Provenance: D.L. Eccles (discreet ownership inscriptions).

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
06.10.2022 – 06.10.2022
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 17:00   
Tu 09:30 – 17:00   
We 09:30 – 17:00   
Th 09:30 – 17:00   
Fr 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.