The auction house explains that some key items — such as personal books, the case, and the pipe — come from a client who wishes to remain anonymous, which is standard practice. While only limited information can be published in the catalogue, they hold the full provenance details. The items were acquired by the client’s late relative and have remained in the same family for over sixty years, passed down through successive generations. They have confirmed that this relative knew J.R.F. Tolkien, that Tolkien was known to give such items away, and they have also consulted the Art Loss Register.

I have refrained from commenting publicly on this so far, but if this is what is now being said, then the catalogue description of the provenance cannot merely be described as publishing "limited information".

The provenance statement in the relevant catalogue descriptions was "Provenance: Gifted by Tolkien to his son John Francis Tolkien and subsequently to the present owner."

The implication of the published description is that the items passed directly from JRRT to JFRT to the present owner by sequential gifting. It is quite a different matter that over half a century and multiple generations of a different, unknown, family were involved. If the term "acquired" is now being used this changes matter further still.

More importantly, the fact that they have been with the current owner's family for "over sixty years" raises further questions.

It would mean that JFRT must have given the items away to this anonymous family before 1965, and so must have received them from his parents earlier still.

So he did not inherit these items after his parents' deaths in the 1970s, but was given the items by them while they were both still alive.

This includes many items which are claimed to be gifts exchanged between his parents. It includes what is claimed is his mother's costume jewellery. It would mean his mother 'returned' his 'coronation gift' a decade later. It would mean that JRRT gave away a 'pipe given to him by CSL' possibly while CSL was still alive.

tomwa wrote:

The auction house explains that some key items — such as personal books, the case, and the pipe — come from a client who wishes to remain anonymous, which is standard practice. While only limited information can be published in the catalogue, they hold the full provenance details. The items were acquired by the client’s late relative and have remained in the same family for over sixty years, passed down through successive generations. They have confirmed that this relative knew J.R.F. Tolkien, that Tolkien was known to give such items away, and they have also consulted the Art Loss Register.

I have refrained from commenting publicly on this so far, but if this is what is now being said, then the catalogue description of the provenance cannot merely be described as publishing "limited information".

The provenance statement in the relevant catalogue descriptions was "Provenance: Gifted by Tolkien to his son John Francis Tolkien and subsequently to the present owner."

The implication of the published description is that the items passed directly from JRRT to JFRT to the present owner by sequential gifting. It is quite a different matter that over half a century and multiple generations of a different, unknown, family were involved. If the term "acquired" is now being used this changes matter further still.

More importantly, the fact that they have been with the current owner's family for "over sixty years" raises further questions.

It would mean that JFRT must have given the items away to this anonymous family before 1965, and so must have received them from his parents earlier still.

So he did not inherit these items after his parents' deaths in the 1970s, but was given the items by them while they were both still alive.

This includes many items which are claimed to be gifts exchanged between his parents. It includes what is claimed is his mother's costume jewellery. It would mean his mother 'returned' his 'coronation gift' a decade later. It would mean that JRRT gave away a 'pipe given to him by CSL' possibly while CSL was still alive.

Yes, one struggles to make this timeline make sense with reality.


(Also, since there is no longer any auction and nothing more to comment on, we are locking this thread until further notice)

New Article from the Oxford Mail

An auction offering a "treasure trove" of items belonging to J.R.R. Tolkien has been cancelled by the auctioneers as experts accuse the sellers of "forgery".

The briefcase used by legendary Oxford author J.R.R Tolkien to carry around first drafts of The Hobbit were among the lots listed for sale by Auctioneum Ltd, a Bristol-based auction house.

But the sale was abruptly cancelled just weeks before the huge collection of personal items, expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds, was due to go under the hammer.

A community of Tolkien collectors, buyers, sellers, and academics have said they believe many of the items alleged to belong to the Lord of the Rings author were fakes.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2566 ... d-experts-accuse-forgery/

The Auction status has changed to cancelled now instead of postponed.

Unfortunate wording, as flagging some of the items as likely not genuine is not the same as accusing the sellers of being forgers. Important distinction.

Edit. I now read the whole article, which is a little different than what is expressed on this thread, I think.

The Auction House have scheduled another Tolkien Auction for the end of December 2025. It appears to be the same items, but no 'signed' or 'manuscript' items.

https://timed.eastbristol.co.uk/auctions/9498/sreas11226

Owners would probably be better just sticking them on eBay.