In 1977 George Allen & Unwin released three sets of eight cards, each featuring an illustration by Tolkien. The three sets were "Hobbit Series 1", "Hobbit Series 2", and "The Lord of the Rings". Hammond's J.R.R. Tolkien A Descriptive Bibliography documents these as Eii17 (p. 379).
In going through my ephemera today, I found an advertisement for these sets that I had forgotten I had. Of note, it states
"The first collection of Tolkien cards was a great success. Now there is a choice of three sets"
Cover downloaded from the Mythopoeic Society
In the fine print at the bottom, it indicates which seven cards were included in the "first collection":
The Hill: Hobbiton-across-the-Water
Rivendell
Bilbo comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves
Conversation with Smaug
Death of Smaug
Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes
Barad-dûr
Has anyone ever run across a set of this "first collection"?
This original 1975 set has Fangorn Forest in it, that was not included in the 1977 sets. I believe that this makes the first appearance of this artwork (also titled Beleg Finds Gwindor in Taur-nu-Fuin), correct? It was published in the 1978 calendar and Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien in 1979.
Rayner mentions the cards as being first released between Tolkien's death (1973) and the publication of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight | Pearl | Sir Orfeo (1975), in Remembrancer, p. 247.
Khamûl wrote: Rayner mentions the cards as being first released between Tolkien's death (1973) and the publication of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight | Pearl | Sir Orfeo (1975), in Remembrancer, p. 247.
Well spotted!
"Postcards of Tolkien's own pictures, shrink-wrapped and sold with envelopes in packets of eight, were another innovation that was reasonably successful and helped bridge the gap between Tolkien's death and the first products of his diligent literary executor and son, Christopher. A final text of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, long-promised and, as I knew, virtually complete, came first."
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