Bloomsbury Auctions has quite a number of Tolkien lots in their sale number 717 in the London showroom. The first item listed (a book titles Oil Paint and Grease Paint has a signature on the front of the book - the authenticity of this signature is questionable at this time, as is any reasoning for why Tolkien would sign this particular book in the manner shown in the image. For further discussion on this particular signature, see this forum thread. There are no other Tolkien signed books in this lot though there is an Alan Lee signed and sketched copy of The Children of Hurin. There are a few of the scarcer History of Middle-earth titles available and some much more common or later printing editions of various titles as well. If you are interested in bidding, read the descriptions carefully, and if possible visit the auction site during the free preview times to check them out. The staff is quite helpful and will answer most questions via email if you ask far enough in advance.

Thursday 13 May 2010

Viewing beforehand on Tuesday 11th May from 9.30am to 5.30pm
Wednesday 12th May from 9.30am to 8.00pm
Thursday 13th May from 9.30am to 1.00pm


332. Tolkien (J.R.R.).- Knight (Dame Laura) Oil Paint and Grease Paint. Second Volume, reprint, original wrappers, , signed by J.R.R. Tolkien on upper cover, 8vo, Penguin, 1941. (Bloomsbury link). [For further discussion about the authenticity of this lot, see this forum thread.]
£200 - £300

333. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., first editions, first impressions, vol.III first state, maps, bookseller’s small sticker to foot of front pastedowns, Tolkien Society bookmark, original cloth, dust-jackets, chipped at corners with a few other small chips and tears to edges, spines slightly browned, rubbed at fore-edges, closed tear descending into upper panel of vol.I and lower fore-corner of vol.III, housed in later board slip-case, 8vo, 1954-55. (Bloomsbury link)
£4000~ - £6000

334. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., first editions, second impressions, folding maps, original cloth, dust-jackets, all with some light scratches to spine, vol.I & III uniformly browned, vol.I with small tears to upper fore-corners and spine ends with slight loss, vol.II lightly browned at spine with small closed tear, but otherwise very good, vol.III worn at spine ends and corners with slight loss, spine with splits and repairs to reverse, 8vo, 1954-55. (Bloomsbury link)
£600~ - £800


335. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., first editions, vol.I fifth impression, vol.II second impression (in third impression jacket), vol.III seventh impression, folding maps, original cloth, dust-jackets, vol.I & II browned at spine with slight staining, vol.II frayed at spine ends with loss, 8vo, 1956-55-61. (Bloomsbury link)
£180~ - £220


336. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Fellowship of the Ring, jacket slightly rubbed, 1966; The Return of the King, jacket worn at corners and spine edges, 1966, second editions, maps, original cloth, dust-jackets, 8vo [2] (Bloomsbury link)
£75~ - £100


337. Tolkien (J.R.R.) Smith of Wootton Major, first edition, illustrations by Pauline Baynes, original pictorial boards, rubbed at edges, 1967; and 2 others, Tolkien, comprising a reissue of the same and 5th impression Farmer Giles of Ham in jacket, 16mo [2] (Bloomsbury link)
£80~ - £120


338. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 1 vol. deluxe edition on india paper, 5th impression, original black buckram deocrated in gilt, silver & green, an excellent copy, preserved in publisher’s box with printed title label, 8vo, 1976. (Bloomsbury link)
£180~ - £220


339. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, first 1 vol. deluxe edition on india paper, original black buckram deocrated in gilt, silver & green, a fine copy, 8vo, 1969. (Bloomsbury link)
£180~ - £220


340. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Book of Lost Tales. Part I, jacket unpriced as issued, slightly rubbed at corner tips, some light indenting, otherwise near fine, 1983; The Lost Road…, jacket clipped but with publisher’s sticker, spine slightly sunned, 1987, first editions, frontispieces, illustrations, original boards; with a copy of Unfinished Tales and Tolkien’s Letters, first editions, 8vo [4] (Bloomsbury link)
£150~ - £200


341. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lays of Beleriand, first edition, colour frontispiece, original boards, dust-jacket, a fine copy, 8vo, 1985. (Bloomsbury link)
£100~ - £150


342. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Treason of Isengard, first edition, frontispiece, small stain to extreme fore-edge of a few ff., original boards, dust-jacket, a fine copy, 8vo, 1989. (Bloomsbury link)
£75~ - £100


343. Tolkien (J.R.R.) The War of the Ring, first edition, colour frontispiece, original boards, dust-jacket, an excellent copy, 8vo, 1990. (Bloomsbury link)
£200~ - £300


344. Tolkien (J.R.R.) Sauron Defeated, first edition, colour frontispieces, illustrations, original boards, dust-jacket, a fine copy, 8vo, 1992. (Bloomsbury link)
£100~ - £150


345. Tolkien (J.R.R.) Narn i Chîn Húrin. The Tale of the Children of Hurin, deluxe, first edition, with original pencil portrait by Alan Lee on front free endpaper, signed by the artist in ink, folding map, colour plates by Alan Lee, original imitation morocco-backed boards, slip-case, a fine copy, 8vo, 2007. (Bloomsbury link)
£300~ - £400


The posthumously published elaboration on a section from Tolkien’s Silmarillion, revolving largely around the adventures of Turin. The pencil portrait by Lee is probably a rendering of Turin himself.