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Typed signed JRRT letter 1960

4 Sep, 2021 (edited)
2021-9-4 8:25:28 AM UTC

On September 2nd, Kennys Bookshop revealed this finding on social media.

What do you think, especially about the authenticity of the signature?

I wonder if some more details will be published.

[UPDATE] According to Kennys, The letter was a reply by Tolkien to a publisher who had sent him a copy of a children's book to proof and to provide a couple of lines for their promotional use! He expressed thanks for the book, and couldn't fulfill the offer to read as “I am rather ground down by overdue work”. The date of the letter is May 2nd 1960.

5022_61332bd316bb7.png 1440X1560 px
4 Sep, 2021
2021-9-4 8:36:46 AM UTC
The signature looks fine to me, but would like to see the rest of the letter. I expect this will turn up at Auction in the near future.
4 Sep, 2021
2021-9-4 3:09:07 PM UTC
Does the bottom-left corner of the photo not (partially) show Tolkien's surname misspelt Tolkein?
4 Sep, 2021 (edited)
2021-9-4 3:30:43 PM UTC
This is a letter from 1961, Tolkien sometimes put the name and address of whom he was writing to in the bottom left of the letter, so in this case the name of person to whom he was writing ended in 'ein'.

10_613390ec5cca4.jpg 597X281 px
4 Sep, 2021
2021-9-4 5:38:18 PM UTC
Ah, indeed. Forgot about that letter writing convention.
6 Sep, 2021
2021-9-6 8:28:55 PM UTC
Just a little update, directly by Kennys.

The letter was a reply by Tolkien to a publisher who had sent him a copy of a children's book to proof and to provide a couple of lines for their promotional use! He expressed thanks for the book, and couldn't fulfill the offer to read as “I am rather ground down by overdue work”.
6 Sep, 2021
2021-9-6 8:44:16 PM UTC

Mauro D86 wrote:

Just a little update, directly by Kennys.

The letter was a reply by Tolkien to a publisher who had sent him a copy of a children's book to proof and to provide a couple of lines for their promotional use! He expressed thanks for the book, and couldn't fulfill the offer to read as “I am rather ground down by overdue work”.

It is a wonder he ever achieved anything given how much time he spent complaining about having no time to spend on anything
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