In GREAT condition. All three books.
These were technically the first ever paperback versions of the Lord of the Rings and the only paperback versions that feature the text from the later printings of the first edition hardbacks (Later PBs were produced using the revised texts!).
Ace books produced these volumes without Tolkien's permission after they found Houghton Mufflin to be in violation of copyright law in the States. HM apparently imported too many Allen & Unwin's British versions into the US, thus breaking the law and allowing LotR to fall into the public domain - fair game for Ace books!
Tolkien then rushed to release a 'revised' edition to reinstate the copyright law, thus producing the 'authorized', Ballatine books edition (the ones with the crazy triptych cover art by Barbara Remington!). Tolkien subsequently hated the cover art of those editions but the copyright was reinstated, the Ace books versions were removed and royalties were paid to Tolkien!
An interesting piece of history in the Tolkien timeline and a must own for LOTR fans.
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