24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 14:18:10 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
According to this research
https://www.drawinside.com/blogs/artis ... anation-fun-facts-drawing, it first appeared in 1980 UT 1st ed. (without the 8 dots) and 1983 HoMe1 1st ed.(identical to current form). Are those two the earliest?
Also, in all Tolkien's written monograms I know(
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7EPTdVWEAEFJ67?format=jpg), he never used the standard one with 8 dots (and all the examples I know are before 1937). Did CRRT design the standard monogram based on some unpublished later manuscript? Has he explained why adding the 8 dots in HoMe1?
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 14:37:28 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 14:47:38 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Thanks!
I also just noticed the 1979 ed Pictures by J.R.R.Tolkien already has the dots. So the 1980 ed of UT seems to be a mistake? Is there any more book without the dots?
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 14:48:57 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
From memory, it was used on the cover of Pictures in 1979. I can't remember if it was used in one of the early Unwin calendars.
Not sure I would give much credence to a website that can't spell Tolkien or JRRT!
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 15:22:23 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
It’s very first public appearance was not by George Allen & Unwin, and before Pictures (which is the correct first book cover that it appeared on). Also the way Tolkien drew it has a major difference from how it is used on his books. A puzzle for you!
I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram. But have some fun today if you like trying to guess (or researching) where it was first reproduced - the only time it wasn’t “fixed” to how it is today.
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 15:27:37 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
To the best of my knowledge, the Tolkien ‘logo’ first appeared on the title page of Drawings by Tolkien: Catalogue of an Exhibition of Drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien Oxford: Ashmolean Museum; London: National Book League, 1976. Although the catalogue does not identify the author, it begins with a Foreword and an Introduction by Baillie Tolkien.
Later it reappeared on the title page of Pictures by JRR Tolkien, Tolkien C. (Ed), London, George Allen & Unwin, 1979. It was also embossed in gold on the cover.
The design was created some time in the 1910-1920s. It appears on the back cover of The Book of Ishness. In one of the earliest pages of the sketchbook, he tries out several versions of it before identifying the one which suits him best and which he will use henceforth for the rest of his life.
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 15:29:58 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Urulókë wrote:
I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram.
I'm also very interested in the origin of this monogram. Looking forward to your article

.
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 15:34:52 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Ligandil wrote:
Urulókë wrote:
I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram.
I'm also very interested in the origin of this monogram. Looking forward to your article
.
I am as well. Where will it appear
Urulókë?
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 15:40:56 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Urulókë wrote:
It’s very first public appearance was not by George Allen & Unwin, and before Pictures (which is the correct first book cover that it appeared on). Also the way Tolkien drew it has a major difference from how it is used on his books. A puzzle for you!
I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram. But have some fun today if you like trying to guess (or researching) where it was first reproduced - the only time it wasn’t “fixed” to how it is today.
Looking forward to it! How about the one in 1980 UT spine without the 8 dots? Shouldn't it count as "unfixed"?
24 Jul, 2021
2021/7/24 15:56:34 (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time, London, Dublin, Lisbon, Casablanca, Monrovia
Vanyarin wrote:
To the best of my knowledge, the Tolkien ‘logo’ first appeared on the title page of Drawings by Tolkien: Catalogue of an Exhibition of Drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien Oxford: Ashmolean Museum; London: National Book League, 1976.
Thanks! I find it!
https://pictures.abebooks.com/inventory/30315493516_3.jpgVanyarin wrote:
The design was created some time in the 1910-1920s. It appears on the back cover of The Book of Ishness. In one of the earliest pages of the sketchbook, he tries out several versions of it before identifying the one which suits him best and which he will use henceforth for the rest of his life.
Could you tell me where to find the source (described in some book / catalog or only in Bodleian Meseum)? Was the original design ever published?