Tolkien Collector's Guide
Sign In
Tolkien Collector's Guide
Important links:

Guide to Tolkien's Letters
-
Winner of the 2019 Tolkien Society award for Best Website

12

M. Blackburn 'Middle-earth Map' Poster

6 Feb, 2017
2017-2-6 11:56:01 PM UTC

Does anyone happen to know anything about this poster? I can find examples of a couple coloured copies (here and here) but even for that version I can't find any concrete information.

eBay item 1731994265

4451_58990d0b19f73.png 456X552 px
7 Feb, 2017 (edited)
2017-2-7 12:57:46 AM UTC
From the Beyond Bree "List of Tolkienalia" (1992), page 22:

"MIDDLE EARTH": top, "BEING A MAP PURPORTING TO TRACE THE DIVERS ROUTES TAKEN BY THE COMPANIONS OF/ THE RING DURING THEIR HEROIC AND HISTORICAL JOURNEYS THROUGH MIDDLE EARTH -". Center - map. Bottom, "MIDDLE EARTH"; left corner, "Based on THE LORD OF THE RINGS/ BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN' AUTHORISED by -/ The American Publisher Houghton Miflin [sic] Co."; right corner, "Bruin Inc, Publisher/ 342 Madison Ave, N.Y., N.Y."; 3-color, no date, 30x40".

The footnote says that there is a photocopy of one in the Hunnewell collection. I can inquire if he remembers anything else about it, if you like.
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 1:02:59 AM UTC
Also, the WorldCAT entry for the map seems to think it was published in [1966?]. Probably not a bad estimate based on the lack of a zipcode and the periods in the state.

http://www.worldcat.org/title/middle-earth/oclc/29319249
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 1:34:17 AM UTC
Thanks Urulöké! Much appreciated! Yeah, if it's not too much trouble, I'd be very grateful if you inquire.
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 3:48:18 AM UTC
I asked, he will try to get back to me soonish (maybe a week or so). He did have a good suggestion to dig deeper into the Yellowskin books of Tolkien fanzine history, where I found a tantalizing mention was made in "Green Dragon" issue 4 in March 1968. I checked my copy, which discussed the TSA maybe getting a map poster (very large, multi color) that shows the routes of the Fellowship. Sounds like a match, but not 100% definitive. Still, as the first mention of a map poster like this, it seems likely it did *not* exist in 1966 - late 1967 or early 1968 seem more probable.

I will hopefully have more info.
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 5:07:14 PM UTC
Intriguing!
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 6:52:59 PM UTC
Here is the relevant text from Green Dragon #4 (March 1968):

This is an enlarged version of the map in the hardcover LotR with additional color overlays and the routes of all the characters marked on it. Unfortunately this is on VERY large paper which would stick out of the mailing tube by about one inch. Now the map does have a very large white border so that one inch could be trimmed or folded over for mailing with small loss.
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 7:57:46 PM UTC
That definitely sounds like it. I guess maybe some were made without the color overlays?
7 Feb, 2017
2017-2-7 8:07:22 PM UTC
Attaching the color map images here as I think they are useful. I don't think the colored sections were "overlays", it appears that the map was drawn with color forests (green) and water (blue) at the least, and then some black and white copies were made off the color originals...?

1_589a2909b9b45.jpg 308X400 px

1_589a290ff1aab.jpg 304X400 px

1_589a291718e8b.jpg 363X400 px

1_589a291df0503.jpg 400X300 px
28 Mar, 2017 (edited)
2017-3-28 1:59:21 PM UTC
Dear Jeremy Edmonds

I very recently registered with The Tolkien Collectors Guide.

I chose you as an initial contact in the discussion forum section as you have been involved since 2006, are a collector and hopefully will be a good starting point for advice.

By way of introduction I am the 'artist' who produced 3 LOTR posters in 1969 -71 namely Gollum, Gandalf & Shadowfax. due to a major house move recently to my delight I discovered I still have my original artwork for these 3 posters.

I am looking to possibly auctioning or selling them and hence am researching different avenues including this site.

I would be most grateful if you would contact me to discuss this further and give some advice as to how I should proceed with this quest!

I see you are in the States but I am based in the UK in Surrey & Devon.

My contact details are below and I would be grateful if you would email me directly or call to let me know you received this post as it is my first !

I look forward to hearing from you.


Kind regards


Count Dominic Bon de Sousa Pernes


email [email protected]

2595_58da6c02d557b.jpg 280X355 px

2595_58da6c2709031.jpg 400X514 px
12
Jump to Last
All original content ©2024 by the submitting authors. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Contact Us