JRR TOLKIEN: THE RETURN OF THE KING1955 US FIRST EDITION / RARE THE FOLLOWING AUCTION IS FOR A FIRST EDITION OF TOLKIEN'S CLASSIC, THE RETURN OF THE KING. THE UK PAGES (SHEETS) WERE PRINTED IN THE UK FOR THE UK EDITION; HOWEVER, SOME OF THE PAGES WERE SENT TO THE US TO BE BOUND IN THE US. THERE ARE FAR MORE UK EDITIONS THAN US, AND THEY ARE QUITE SCARCE - AND HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE. THE BOOK ITSELF IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, WITH NO NAMES OR BOOKPLATES. THE ORIGINAL MAP IS AT THE BACK OF THE BOOK. IT IS EASY TO IDENTIFY AS A FIRST PRINTING AS IT SHOWS THE YEAR OF 1956 ON THE TITLE PAGE. ONLY FIRST PRINTINGS SHOW THE YEAR ON THE TITLE PAGE. THE PAGES WERE ACTUALLY PRINTED IN THE UK IN 1955, BUT THE BOOK WAS BOUND IN THE US IN 1956. IT SHOWS THE '4' AND THE SLOPING TEXT ON PG. 49 - SEE PHOTO. THE ORIGINAL DUST JACKET ALSO SHOWS QUITE WELL WITH MINOR LOSS AND CHIPS - THE PHOTOS SHOULD SAY ALL. IT MEETS THE FIRST PRINTING CRITERIA WITH TWO LINES IN THE '$' SIGN ON THE FRONT FLAP AND THE '5' THAT LOOPS TOO LOW IN THE $5.00 THIS FIRST PRINTING IS OFFERED FAR BELOW THE ACTUAL VALUE AND I HAVE ALSO LISTED AN EXTREMELY RARE SECOND PRINTING OF THE TWO TOWERS TODAY AS WELL. SHIPPING (IN A BOX WITH TRACKING) TO THE US IS FREE. THAT SAME SHIPPING IS ONLY $50 TO THE UK. BEST OF LUCK!