This book is listed for sale from Raptis Rare Books.

Latin Literature: From the Library of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Mackail, J.W. [J.R.R. Tolkien].
$9,500.00
Item Number: 103541
London: John Murray, 1906.

First edition, early impression of Mackail’s standard Latin textbook. J.R.R. Tolkien’s copy with two ownership inscriptions to the front free endpaper, the first of which is in an early hand in all capital letters, “J.R.R. Tolkien Class I. KEHS October 1st 1907” and a later inscription with a cursive signature, “Oct. 1909 J.R.R. Tolkien.” Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine. Tolkien was raised in Edgbaston, Birmingham and attended King Edward’s School from 1900-1911. The dates of the inscriptions are of particular importance as they mark the flowering of Tolkien’s interest in language; during these years he would begin the development of his first fictional languages, based largely on his studies of Anglo-Saxon and Latin with the present volume. In very good condition. The text has been crossed out by a subsequent owner.

Signatures from the time when Tolkien was in King Edward's are scarce, and unusual in how they differ from his later, more practiced ownership signatures. The variety of styles from this time period is interesting to me, as they show him experimenting and trying to find what would eventually become his well known signature style.

This book is not yet listed in Oronzo Cilli's book Tolkien's Library.

The Bibliothèque nationale de France puts out a magazine covering their exhibitions and other events three times per year. The most recent issue number 86, covering September through December 2019, features their Tolkien exhibition, "Voyage en Terre du Milieu" (Journey in Middle-earth) on both front and back covers, and has significant coverage on pages 6 through 13.

Inside the magazine, we learn a little more about the forthcoming Exhibition Catalogue, in that it is 304 pages long and has 200 illustrations from the exhibits. The exhibition itself will have almost 300 items on display, with approximately 200 from Tolkien himself, and the remainder from other items in the BnF collection that show context and historical references around Tolkien's life and the mythologies and histories he drew from.

Tolkien illustrations reproduced in the magazine are:
* A full two page spread of a 1972 photograph of Tolkien smoking a pipe by Billet Potter, P. 6-7
* The Doors of Durin (Bodleian collection, 1953), p. 9
* Halls of Manwe on the Mountains of the World above Faerie (Bodleian collection, 1928), p. 10 (full page)
* Conversation with Smaug (Bodleian collection, 1937), p. 11
* The first Father Christmas Letter (Bodleian collection, 1920), p. 11
* The Annotated Map of Middle-earth (Bodleian collection, 1969), p. 13
* Map of Rohan, Gondor and Mordor (Bodleian collection, 1944), p. 13

Pages 8-9 have an in-depth interview with Vincent Ferré and Frédéric Manfrin, the organizers of the exhibition. Page 11 is an interview with Baille Tolkien, where she expresses her happiness at the reception Tolkien has had in France, and the respect with which is writings have always been treated and especially in the preparations for the current exhibition. She also talks about Christopher and the Father Christmas Letters, and a brief overview of Christopher's role as literary executor for JRRT's estate. Page twelve has two brief pieces written by French authors influcenced by Tolkien - Pascal Bacqué and Thomas Reverdy. All content is, of course, in French.

The magazine can be downloaded as a pdf directly here or from the home page of the Chroniques magazine here.

The first glimmers of additional information are starting to emerge about the BnF exhibition Tolkien - Voyage en Terre du Milieu de Ferre which will run October 22nd through February 16, 2020.

BnF has stated that the exhibition will showcase "close to 300 items spread out over 1000 square meters" of space. As a way of comparison, The Bodliean exhibition for Maker of Middle-earth last year had around 200 items, and just over half of that was shown in the Morgan exhibition earlier this year.

From the initial press materials, items that will be shown at BnF (not shown in MoMe exhibitions) include:
* Book 1, Chapter 1, "A Long-Expected Party" manuscript page, December 1937 (Marquette)
* Earliest sketch of Minas Tirith, October 1944 (Marquette)
* Orthanc I sketch (Bodleian Library)
* Shelob’s Lair sketch and manuscript page (Bodleian Library)
* I Eldanyare : The History of the Elves (Silmarillion title page) 1937-8 (Bodleian Library)

I hope to have more to share quite soon. Anyone here planning to attend the opening?

Some information on the Catalogue for the exhibition at the BnF in Paris.

Title, Tolkien - Voyage en Terre du Milieu
Authors, Vincent Ferré, Frédéric Manfrin
ISBN(EAN) 9782717728064
Publication 17th October 2019



Amazon.fr link, https://www.amazon.fr/dp/2717728066/re ... 3044141_185740131_TE_item

I've bought a copy, really looking forward to this.

Should have stated that if you already own the excellent Tolkien: Maker of Middle-Earth, then you may be interested in this book, as different items from The Bodleian and Marquette University will be on display at this exhibition.

You can see some of the book here, http://editions.bnf.fr/extrait-tolkien

Look for a review between the two books after the launch next month

Below is the official press announcement for the calendar. Hopefully Beyond Bree will be able to keep the calendars going for many more years to come.

Beyond Bree

is happy to announce its

2020 Calendar

If it has passed from the high and the beautiful to darkness and ruin,
that was of old the fate of Arda Marred... To mark the passing of the torch
from Daniel Smith to new calendar editor Jeremy Edmonds,
Beyond Bree is turning to the First and Second Ages of Middle-earth
as interpreted by artists from around the globe - Emily Austen, Jenny Dolfen,
Anke Eissmann, Donato Giancola, Jian Guo, Sylvia Hunnewell,
Jay Johnstone, Nancy Martsch, and Gordon Palmer.

The color and black and white calendar will be 11 x 8 ½ inches,
opening to 11 x 17 inches. It will have both Middle-earth and real world holidays.

Pricing: $20 plus shipping - USA $2.00, the rest of the world $5.00.
For large orders, please inquire for details.

For PayPal orders please add $1.00. Send payment (in USD) to:
beyondbree@yahoo.com (this is a name, not a link).

Send check or postal money order (in USD drawn on a US bank) to:
Nancy Martsch, PO Box 55372, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413, USA.
You may send US currency, at your own risk, in a sturdy envelope.

For more information please e-mail: beyondbree@yahoo.com