TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973) - photo 1
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973) - photo 2
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973) - photo 3
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973) - photo 4

TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)

Lot 93
12.07.2023 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
£ 5 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 993388
Lot 93 | TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)
Estimate value
£ 5 000 – 8 000
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)

Autograph letter signed ('JRR Tolkien') to Michael Bell, [Poole], 25 January 1969.

Two pages, 227 x 177mm (left-hand margin a little cockled). Envelope, postmarked 'Bournemouth-Poole'. Provenance: by descent from the recipient.



'The Sea of Galilee is rough': on his Catholic faith, the conversion of his friend C.S. Lewis, and ownership of invented Elvish names. Tolkien is delighted and surprised that his letter [lot **] found Michael Bell so quickly, in spite of the gap in years, 'or I should have missed one of the most comforting and charming letters I have received'. He returns his correspondent's poem - 'I seldom destroy anything (which now creates a great problem for me)' - but retains a copy of the 'charming and moving' verses written by Bell's wife. 'It give[s] me great pleasure to hear that you became a Catholic, though boarding the bark of Peter is not alas! nowadays a trip to a haven of peace. The Sea of Galilee is rough. I myself was as a small boy brought 'out of the Land of Egypt' by a young, beautiful, and gifted mother. She died in a few years, largely owing to the poverty and griefs that followed her conversion: the spirit of Ian Paisley was then almost normal. One must take comfort in the calming of the storm (Matthew 8); but it seems plain that the promise that the powers of darkness (Gates of Hell) shall not prevail is given only to that recognized and ordered institution (ecclesia) loyal to the See of Peter. Not, of course, that the free grace of God is withheld from any individual as such. A notable case was that of my dear friend C.S. Lewis, who arrived by degrees at a completely 'Catholic' position with regard to Our Lord [...] He was in fact Pope in his own individual Church, and I am sure God accepted him as that'. Turning to Bell's request to name his house after Tolkien's elven valley, he responds gladly: 'As for Rivendell of course you may use the name. I am pleased: though there is in fact no copyright in names (a defect in the law it may seem to we who take particular delight in inventing theirs)', adding that his grand-daughter has done likewise.



Tolkien remained a devout Catholic to the end of his life and was instrumental in the return of his Oxford colleague and close friend, C.S. Lewis, to the Christian fold. In a letter of 2 December 1953 to a Jesuit friend, he even went so far as to insist that although The Lord of the Rings contains no overt reference to Christianity at any point, and very little to religion, it nevertheless remains 'a fundamentally religious and Catholic work'.



[With:] a typed letter signed by an Allen and Unwin press officer to Michael Bell, 40 Museum Street, 23 January 1969, noting that there is 'no copyright in names and I am sure that Professor Tolkien will be delighted to know that you are naming your house "Rivendell"', adding that Tolkien hopes he will be forgiven for not replying personally. One page.

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
12.07.2023 – 12.07.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

The Hobbit, first American edition
The Hobbit, first American edition
$100
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
£7 000
The Hobbit: first edition
The Hobbit: first edition
£8 000
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
£100
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)
£3 000
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)
TOLKIEN, John Ronald Reuel (1892-1973)
£1 000

Related terms

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.