Apologies for the late notice. Sotheby's has two separate auctions coming up at the start of next week. The first has two rebound first editions (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings) and the second has a first impression of the deluxe edition of The Hobbit. Nothing particularly catching my eye personally.
Lot 623 TOLKIEN. THE HOBBIT, 1937, FIRST EDITION, RECENT FULL CALF WITH MOROCCO ONLAYS, (1 VOL.) 8vo, FIRST EDITION, 10 illustrations by the author, 2pp. of publisher's advertisements at end, recent full green calf with design of a forest in green morocco onlays on both upper and lower covers, morocco doublures, top edge gilt, original endpapers in red and black preserved, morocco slipcase, some minor colouring to frontispiece and front endpaper, some very minor scratches to spine Estimate £8,000 — 10,000
Sold for £11,875, not sure if this includes buyer's premium
Lot 624 TOLKIEN, LORD OF THE RINGS, 1954-1955, FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION (3 VOL.) 8vo, 3 volumes, FIRST EDITIONS, first impressions (volume 3 in first state of first impression, p. 49 with signature mark '4' present and lines of type sagging in middle), illustrations, folding maps at end of each volume, sections of original DUST-JACKETS preserved at end of each volume, later full Morocco with design of The Company of the Ring blocked in blind, black morocco endpapers, all edges gilt, collector's black morocco slipcase, minor soiling and abrasions to slipcaseEstimate £2,500 — 4,000
Sold for £6,895, not sure if this includes buyer's premium
Lot 223 TOLKIEN, THE HOBBIT, DELUXE EDITION, BOXED, 1976 (1 VOL.) 8vo (221 x 140mm.), first deluxe edition, 2 double-page maps, colour frontispiece with 12 colour plates, original black cloth with gilt and silver design, original presentation box, boards with minor soiling, box worn with browning to label and minor abrasions to bottom Estimate £100 — 150
Sold for £238, not sure if this includes buyer's premium
Stu wrote: I have seen that Hobbit available for sale before. It is truly hideous.
I don't think the Lord of the Rings set is much better, they are probably both owned by the same seller, when they don't sell, I would get both rebound.
To have a JLR image on first edition printing of the LRs is an abomination. On the other hand I like it as an artistic portrayal of the Fellowship. Maybe OK on a Lee edition with a Lee image on the top half fo the boards.
Stu wrote: I have seen that Hobbit available for sale before. It is truly hideous.
I don't think the Lord of the Rings set is much better, they are probably both owned by the same seller, when they don't sell, I would get both rebound.
This shows what I know, The Hobbit sold for £11,875 and The Lord of the Rings for £6,895, the Deluxe Hobbit sold for £238.
I have to express staggerment at the first two prices.
Definitely higher than expected. Considering the requirement to re-rebind, the price of that Hobbit was a *long* way above what an equivalent 1st/1st in rebinding condition could be had for.
This nicely rebound one could just be bought of Abe for a lot less:
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