The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings trilogy, comprising The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, by J. R. R. Tolkien.

London: George Allen & Unwin. First editions, early impressions, the eight, seventh and sixth impressions respectively, all printed in 1960 and having belonged to the same owner. Complete in three volumes. Octavo (23 x 15 x 10cm), pp.423 [1]; pp.352; pp.416. With a folding map at the rear of each volume. Publisher's dark red cloth, title and decorative ring stamped on spine in gilt, plain endpapers, edges trimmed, top edge stained red, fore- and bottom edges unstained. With the grey wove paper dust wrappers, lettered to front and spine and with the "Ring and Eye" device in black, red and gold, unclipped and each priced at 21s.

The three volumes are in similar condition overall, but are individually described below for accuracy and photographed extensively.

The Fellowship of the Ring (Eight impression, 1960). The book itself is externally in very clean condition with very bright gilt lettering. There is light bumping to spine tips, a shallow bump to upper rear board, the extremities are a little darkened, the edges are a little thumbed with a couple of small foxing spots, and the top edge is brightly red coloured. Binding itself is strong with spine ever-so-slightly cocked. There is a small manufacture flaw to front paste-down where the paper was not cut to size, a previous owner's name (Rose) and date (1960 Xmas) penned to front-paste down, light offsetting to FEPs, and a very small ear mark to page 409 (now straightened). The unclipped dust wrapper is tanned to spine, joints, extremities and (partially) to rear cover, a little marked to front cover, nibbled slightly to extremities with hardly any loss.

The Two Towers (Seventh impression, 1960). The book itself is externally in very clean condition with very bright gilt lettering. There is (very!) light bumping to spine tips, some small, barely-visible small marks to spine, the extremities are a little darkened, the edges show very light foxing, and the top edge is lightly faded and of more of a pink-ish hue. Binding itself is strong with the spine cocked. There is a previous owner's name (Rose) and date (1960 Xmas) penned to front-paste down, a little bubbling to front paste-down, and light offsetting to FEPs. The unclipped dust wrapper is tanned to spine, joints and extremities, nibbled slightly to extremities with hardly any loss, and with a small smudge to head of spine (between author name and title).

The Return of the King (Sixth impression, 1960). The book itself is externally in very clean condition with very bright gilt lettering. There is (very!) light bumping to foot of spine, the extremities are a little darkened, the edges show light foxing and tanning, particularly to fore edge, and the top edge is lightly faded and of more of a pink-ish hue. Binding itself is strong with the spine cocked. There is a previous owner's name (Rose) and date (1960 Xmas) penned to front-paste down, as well as a further dedication penned to FFEP ("To Michael, with love, Jill (Xmas 1960), and light offsetting to FEPs. The unclipped dust wrapper is tanned to spine, joints, extremities and (partially) to front cover, and nibbled slightly to extremities with hardly any loss.

All dust wrappers have now been placed in archival wrappers for protection. A really lovely set overall.