So, I'm pretty sure three of the books are from Tolkien's library (the ones once owned by David Miller). I contacted David Miller and he had this to say:
"Yes, I can confirm the sale of the 3 books (from Loome) to Greg Miller, and the small inscription portion was a gift to him as well. I'm afraid that I
was unable to find one of the 2 page catalog's from Loome, as I purchased mine thru abe.com as Loome was listing them online. As well as I can remember, the 3 books cost me slightly less than $2000."
Here is a picture of the endpapers of the books before the signatures were removed.
"Yes, I can confirm the sale of the 3 books (from Loome) to Greg Miller, and the small inscription portion was a gift to him as well. I'm afraid that I
was unable to find one of the 2 page catalog's from Loome, as I purchased mine thru abe.com as Loome was listing them online. As well as I can remember, the 3 books cost me slightly less than $2000."
Here is a picture of the endpapers of the books before the signatures were removed.
Ok i'm now looking at the list of books sold by Loome Theological Booksellers and I find the following:
T37. Willoms, R.M. Early Middle English Literature. London: Metheun & Co, 1939. x + 309 pp. (original publisher's cloth, some foxing) Review copy. In ink, on front past-down endpaper, in another hand (possibly his son Christopher's): "[JRRT]" ----- $100.00
T11. Doutrepont, Auguste. La Clef d'amors. Texte critique [...] In ink, on front free endpaper, in Tolkien's hand: "J.R.R. Tolkien." ------ $ 650.00
T4. Brandl, Alois: Anglica. Untersuchungen zur englischen Philologie. Alois Brandl zum [...] In ink, on front free endpaper, in Tolkien's hand: "J.R.R. Tolkien", Corrections, in ink and pencil, in the margin of the Inhalt page. ----- $ 700.00
T1. Appel, Carl. provenzalische Chrestomathie mit Abriss der Fomenlehre und Glossar. Fünfte verbesserte Auflage. Leipzig: O.R. Reisland. 1920 xl + 344 pp. (original publisher's cloth) In ink, on front free endpaper, in Tolkien's hand "J.R.R. Tolkien". ----- $600.00
So yes they are all on the list and sold back then. You can see the original prices of that time.
T37. Willoms, R.M. Early Middle English Literature. London: Metheun & Co, 1939. x + 309 pp. (original publisher's cloth, some foxing) Review copy. In ink, on front past-down endpaper, in another hand (possibly his son Christopher's): "[JRRT]" ----- $100.00
T11. Doutrepont, Auguste. La Clef d'amors. Texte critique [...] In ink, on front free endpaper, in Tolkien's hand: "J.R.R. Tolkien." ------ $ 650.00
T4. Brandl, Alois: Anglica. Untersuchungen zur englischen Philologie. Alois Brandl zum [...] In ink, on front free endpaper, in Tolkien's hand: "J.R.R. Tolkien", Corrections, in ink and pencil, in the margin of the Inhalt page. ----- $ 700.00
T1. Appel, Carl. provenzalische Chrestomathie mit Abriss der Fomenlehre und Glossar. Fünfte verbesserte Auflage. Leipzig: O.R. Reisland. 1920 xl + 344 pp. (original publisher's cloth) In ink, on front free endpaper, in Tolkien's hand "J.R.R. Tolkien". ----- $600.00
So yes they are all on the list and sold back then. You can see the original prices of that time.
Thanks a lot Beren! I really do appreciate it. Though it is obviously unfortunate that those endpapers were removed, at least the books weren't completely disposed of. It seems from all the evidence that the books I purchased are pretty legitimate, though I guess no one can ever be 100% sure because the books no longer contain the signatures.
I am a former employee at Loome's, but this list was created before my time working there. As a specialist in rare books and manuscripts, I took an interest in some of this material after the fact - although most of it had been scattered to the four winds. After having reviewed a specimen of the material on the Loome's catalogue I have become skeptical as to the authenticity of at least the whole lot. One allegedly signed copy appears definitely to be a forgery to me, but it is possible that authentic material was mingled with inauthentic. My advice would be to have each piece separately authenticated by an expert.