Edited by Trotter on 2022-6-1 5:06:12 AM UTC Edited by Trotter on 2022-6-17 10:32:19 AM UTC Edited by Trotter on 2022-6-17 11:40:03 AM UTC
2022-6-1 4:46:55 AM UTC
Dukes Auctions 17th June 2022 10:30am
You should always exercise good judgement and perform appropriate due-diligence when acquiring signed items to ensure that you are satisfied with the provenance and integrity of any item you bid on.
Lot 44 TOLKIEN, J.R.R: THE HOBBIT
TOLKIEN, J.R.R: THE HOBBIT London, George Allen & Unwin, 1937 FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE with 'Dodgeson' corrected in ink on inside lower flap of dust jacket. 10 illustrations, pictorial endpapers. 8vo., original green pictorial cloth, original dust jacket, in a later green morocco and marbled paper solander box. Head and tail of spine slightly bumped, jacket with a little professional restoration to top and bottom edges, with some minor staining to very top edge of jacket.
TOLKIEN, J.R.R: THE HOBBIT London, George Allen & Unwin, 1971 Third edition, sixth impression. SIGNED ON THE HALF-TITLE BY THE AUTHOR (signed for B.R. Witherden'), ownership inscription of 'Brian Witherden, Merton' on front free endpaper. 4 colour plates, 8 illustrations & pictorial endpapers. 8vo., original green cloth blocked in gilt with gilt stamp of Merton College, Oxford on the front boards, original dust jacket. Dust jacket a little chipped with small area of loss (16 x 23mm) from top edge. *The first owner was a student at Merton College, Oxford between 1969 & 1974 while Tolkien was a resident on the same staircase. Witherden was awarded a book prize after gaining a first in mathematics which Tolkien then signed, hence the Merton stamp. Provenance: Sotheby’s 8 July 2004, lot 380
TOLKIEN, J.R.R: THE LORD OF THE RINGS London, George Allen & Unwin, 1965 THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING 14th impression "SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR" on front free endpaper; THE TWO TOWERS 11th impression; THE RETURN OF THE KING 11th impression. 3 vols. 8vo., all in original red cloth, original jackets. Gift inscriptions on front free endpapers. Some darkening, slight chipping to dustjackets which have been covered in clear plastic, edges slightly rubbed.
Lot 47 TOLKIEN, J.R.R: THE ADVENTURES OF TOM BOMBADIL
TOLKIEN, J.R.R: THE ADVENTURES OF TOM BOMBADIL London, George Allen & Unwin, 1962 FIRST EDITION, SIGNED & INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR on the front free endpaper Love and memories of 'Miramar'. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes. 8vo., original pictorial boards with matching original dust jacket. Edges of jacket chipped. *The Tolkiens spent holidays at the Miramar Hotel in Bournemouth. They moved to Bournemouth in 1968 not far from the hotel.
TOLKIEN, J.R.R.: THE LORD OF THE RINGS India paper edition published by Allen & Unwin, 1969, black pictorial cloth binding with slip case; sold together Tolkien, J.R.R.: The Silmarillion, first edition, published by Allen & Unwin, 1977, blue cloth binding with dustwrapper
I don't have a problem with any of the signatures.
Which is the fundamental problem of signatures. A real one on a bad day or with a poor pen might look off and a really good one might be fake. With the exception of the odd obvious shocker, the only useful thing is the provenance, and really that is usually just a plausibility judgement call. With Tolkien, handwritten letters seem the safest bet.
I don't have a problem with any of the signatures.
Which is the fundamental problem of signatures. A real one on a bad day or with a poor pen might look off and a really good one might be fake. With the exception of the odd obvious shocker, the only useful thing is the provenance, and really that is usually just a plausibility judgement call. With Tolkien, handwritten letters seem the safest bet.
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