3 Tolkien Letters to Higgins

They certainly seem to have gone up in price a lot, one was bought on Ebay for $238 in June.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 26183352#ebayphotohosting

The letters look appropriately aged and weathered. However, Tolkien's personal stationary had his name and address pre-printed at the top. Also, there should be a Basildon Bond watermark visible when the letter is held up to the light. The lack of a date is also odd.

Jim.

Can I ask why you say that the letters ought to have a Basildon Bond watermark?

Tolkien's personal stationary was Basildon Bond for many years (during late 50's and 60's and possibly later). The lack of the watermark does not mean the letters are fake. But the mention in the description that the letters were typed on Tolkien's personal stationary would cause me to look for the BB watermark. The lack of a date on the letters is odd to me also, just an observation.

Jim.

Tolkien's personal stationary was Basildon Bond for many years (during late 50's and 60's and possibly later).

I'm interested in anything and everything about Tolkien - I hadn't heard this before, so forgive my asking again - can you tell us where this info comes from?

The info about the watermark comes from my own personal experience. I own a typed, signed letter with the post marked envelope from Tolkien written on his Sandfield Road stationary to a little girl in 1964 (I was able to contact the original owner who stated they had lost the letter at Princeston University in the late sixties. I bought the letter from a seller who found the letter in a storage box at Princeton). The Basildon Bond watermark is clearly visible when held up to a light.

A good while ago I was interested in purchasing another letter from Tolkien offered on Ebay. The letter was advertised as also being on Tolkien's personal stationary from his Sandfield Road address and was dated 1955 if I remember correctly. I asked the seller to hold the letter up to a light and see if there was a watermark there. He replied that there was a Basildon Bond watermark present. I did not get the letter (it went much higher than I could pay for it).

Of course, this does not mean that Tolkien did not use stationary other than Basildon Bond during this period.

Jim.

Thanks for that. :)

The info about the watermark comes from my own personal experience. I own a typed, signed letter with the post marked envelope from Tolkien written on his Sandfield Road stationary to a little girl in 1964 (I was able to contact the original owner who stated they had lost the letter at Princeston University in the late sixties. I bought the letter from a seller who found the letter in a storage box at Princeton). The Basildon Bond watermark is clearly visible when held up to a light.

Jim is selling this letter on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tolkien-Signed- ... ain_0?hash=item3cabd716ba

Wow, you guys are fast....lol. I know I'm probably asking far too much for the letter. But that amount is the only thing that will get me to part with it.

Jim.