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

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

London: George Allen & Unwin. First editions, impressions 15th, 10th and 10th respectively, printed in 1966, 1966 and 1963 respectively. 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 (11th impression wrapper for 'The Two Towers' instead of 10th), lettered to front and spine and with the "Ring and Eye" device in black, red and gold, unclipped, priced at 25s, 21s and 25s net respectively.

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

1. The Fellowship of the Ring (15th impression, 1966, in correct dustwrapper).  The book itself is externally in very clean condition with very bright gilt lettering.  Spine tips and corners are bumped, there is some foxing and grubby thumbmarks to the closed text block, and the binding is heavily cocked.  Binding itself is firm (although the book has the give of a read one).  There are a few ear marks throughout and the tiniest nick to bottom of page 423.  The unclipped dust wrapper is tanned to spine and (unevenly) to rear panel, with a few small stains and thumbmarks throughout, nibbled slightly to extremities with a little loss to spine tips and a few small marginal tears.
2. The Two Towers (10th impression, 1963, in correct dustwrapper). The book itself is externally in overall clean condition with very bright gilt lettering and only one small dot mark to rear cover.  Spine tips and corners are bumped, there is heavier foxing and some marking to the closed text block, and the binding is heavily cocked.  Binding itself is firm (although the book has the give of a read one).  There is some marginal foxing throughout and a small inscription penned to FFEP.  The unclipped dust wrapper is tanned to spine and joints, with staining and foxing to panels, a large (just under half) portion missing from the rear flap, many nibbles and small closed tears to extremities, small initials penned to front panel near title, and a little marginal loss; fair only.
3. The Return of the King (10th impression, 1963, in 11th impression dustwrapper). The book itself is externally in very clean condition with very bright gilt lettering and a few areas of light discolouration.  Spine tips and corners are bumped, there is some foxing and staining to the closed text block, and the binding is heavily cocked.  Binding itself is firm (although the book has the give of a read one).  There is a shallow earmark and a small smudge to page 172, as well as an inscription in pen to FFEP and some marginal foxing throughout.  The unclipped dust wrapper is tanned to spine and joints, with staining and foxing to panels, about an inch-sized piece at the head of the spine barely attached to the spine (now held securely in place by a removable archival wrapper), many nibbles and small closed tears to extremities and a little marginal loss; fair only.

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