hallmarked silver cigarette case with JRR Tolkien signature inside 1940’s

An interesting piece, hard to place a value on it. Although provenance seems to check out. Seems odd to me that he chose this to have them sign.

It's a very interesting item and while it is obvious that anyone considering a bid on this should treat it as a curiosity, I personally really like the story of it being passed around the group of Inklings. It seems like something a group of Oxford bods would do. Smoking was such an important part of this era.

My grandfather's case was personalized with his initials and he treated it as well as his clothes or shoes. He cleaned it out every every few weeks, getting anything foreign from the inside and preparing it to house his next packet of smokes.

And as Mr. Underhill says, it's very hard to value.

I note that poet Alan Rook (author of These Are My Comrades, 1943) is mentioned several times (and said to be a poet) in Scull and Hammond's Tolkien Companion and Guide, in connection with Leaf by Niggle (see esp. the entry for ?April 1942). He was apparently also an acquaintance of (at least) Elizabeth Mary Wright (Joseph's wife).

There are a few letters in our Guide

https://www.tolkienguide.com/guide/letters/?q=%22alan+rook%22