Items Similar to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, First Edition, Three Volume Set
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, First Edition, Three Volume Set
$7,500
£5,675.57
€6,545.71
CA$10,473.23
A$11,733.40
CHF 6,107.22
MX$142,890.37
NOK 77,797.90
SEK 73,263.67
DKK 48,862.87
Shipping
Retrieving quote...The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation
About the Item
Tolkien, J.R.R., The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King. London: Allen & Unwin, 1956, 1955. First edition, fifth, fourth, second impression printings. Masterfully rebound in full Moroccan leather, with custom gilt and blind embossed stamps, gilt tooling, and a new archival lined slipcase.
Presented is J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, in three volumes complete, to include The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. All first editions, the books were published by Allen & Unwin in London. The Fellowship of the Ring is a first edition, fifth impression printing, published in February of 1956. The Two Towers is a first edition, fourth impression printing, published in November of 1956. Return of the King is a first edition, second impression printing, published in November of 1955. All three books have been exquisitely rebound in full Moroccan red leather. The front and back boards have been blind and gilt embossed with a striking design, a combination of “The One Ring” and Tolkien’s monogram. The spines are titled and tooled in gilt and all volumes are presented together in a custom-made archival lined slipcase.
After the success of The Hobbit, Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings over the span of thirteen years, between 1939 and 1952. Its final length was an astonishing 1,192 pages. Allen & Unwin, his original British publishers, were wary of both the cost of printing and the viable commercial success of such a long fantasy tale, despite the popularity of its predecessor. To minimize their financial risk, they convinced Tolkien to publish the novel in three installments, and agreed that Tolkien would not receive profits until after the books had paid for themselves. Unlike The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings novels were not illustrated, but Tolkien did design the original dust jackets and his son Christopher drew the maps.
The three books in The Lord of the Rings trilogy were first published in the following order: The Fellowship of the Ring, first published on July 29, 1954 in an edition of 3,000 copies. The Two Towers was published November 11, 1954 in an edition of 3,250. The final installment, The Return of the King, was published on October 20, 1955 in an edition of 7,000.
CONDITION:
Very good condition. Internally, a nice clean set of books with healthy paper and no marks or tears. All folding maps are present and in very good condition. The Fellowship of the Ring has two black and white illustrations, as issued, on pp. 318 and pp. 333.
All volumes rebound in full Moroccan red leather, embossed with blind and gilt stamps on the front and back boards, with raised bands, gilt tooling, and titles to spine. Top edges gilt. New marbled endpaper. The three volumes are presented together in a new, archival lined slipcase with ribbon.
Book Dimensions: The Fellowship of the Ring: 9 1/4" H x 6 1/4" W x 1 1/2" D. The Two Towers: 9 1/4" H x 6 1/4" W x 1 1/4" D. The Return of the King: 9 1/4" H x 6 1/4" W x 1 1/2" D.
Slipcase Dimensions: 9 1/2" H x 6 7/16" W x 4 1/2" D.
Accompanied by the company's letter of authenticity.
- Creator:J. R. R. Tolkien 1 (Author)
- Dimensions:Height: 9.5 in (24.13 cm)Width: 6.44 in (16.36 cm)Depth: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1956, 1955
- Condition:Additions or alterations made to the original: All volumes rebound in full Moroccan red leather, embossed with blind and gilt stamps on the front & back boards, with raised bands, gilt tooling, and titles to spine. Top edges gilt. Marbled endpaper. With slipcase. By Felton Bookbinding Ltd in 2025. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Colorado Springs, CO
- Reference Number:Seller: BK1219-c1stDibs: LU909745892632
About the Seller
4.9
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2010
1stDibs seller since 2011
461 sales on 1stDibs
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Colorado Springs, CO
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllMy Experiences in the World War, by John Pershing, First Edition, Two Vols, 1931
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Pershing, John J. My Experiences in the World War. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1931. First Edition. Two Volume Set. Rebound in 1/4 leather and cloth boards, with raised ba...
Category
Vintage 1930s American Mid-Century Modern Books
Materials
Leather, Fabric, Paper
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
By Lewis Carroll
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1921. Illustrated by John Tenniel. Octavo. Rebound in full red leathe...
Category
Vintage 1920s American Edwardian Books
Materials
Leather, Fabric, Paper
The History of the Discovery and Settlement of America by W. Robertson, 1835
By William Robertson
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Robertson, William, Frost, John. The History of the Discovery and Settlement of America, With an Account of His Life and Writings, To which are added Questions for the Examination of...
Category
Antique 1830s American Early Victorian Books
Materials
Leather, Fabric, Paper
The Battles of America by Sea and Land by Robert Tomes and John Laird Wilson
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Tomes, Robert and John Laird Wilson. The Battles of America by Sea and Land. New York: Patterson & Neilson, 1878. Thick quarto three volume set. Original full leather boards, embosse...
Category
Antique 1870s American Victorian Books
Materials
Leather, Fabric, Paper
"American Commonwealth" by James Bryce, First Edition, Three Volume Set, 1888
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Bryce, James. The American Commonwealth. London: Macmillian and Co., 1888. First edition three volume set. Three-quarter morocco leather boards with deckled edges. Presented in custom matching slipcase.
This first edition, three volume set of The American Commonwealth was published in London by Macmillian and Company in 1888. The books are bound in three-quarter straight grain morocco leather and maroon linen boards with gilt embossed and banded spine. The top edges are trimmed and edged with gilt while the other page ends are left deckled. All three volumes are presented in a custom archival matching slipcase.
James Bryce...
Category
Antique 1880s British Books
Materials
Paper, Leather
The Overland Guide From the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, Revised, 1883
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Gleed, Charles S, ed. Rand, McNally & Co.'s Overland Guide From the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean Via Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Chicago: Rand, McNally & Co., 1883. Revised Edition. Rebound in ¼ red leather and cloth boards, with original cloth gilt-stamped pictorial front board saved, new marbled endpapers, and a custom archival slipcase to match. Illustrated throughout with engravings.
This is a “Revised Edition” of the Rand, McNally & Co.'s Overland Guide From the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, via Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The book was edited by Charles S. Gleed and published by Rand, McNally & Co., in Chicago in 1883. It has been artfully rebound in ¼ red leather and cloth boards, with the original gilt-stamped pictorial front cloth board saved, new marbled endpapers, and a matching archival cloth slipcase.
As explained in the beginning of the guidebook, the purpose of the book is “to give the reader a satisfactory general idea of the States and Territories of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, through which the traveler passes in going from the Missouri river to the Pacific ocean, or vice versa, entering or leaving California at its southern extremity.” Following the southern route of railways, editor Charles Gleed lays out in extensive detail information on each state, including population numbers, key industries, important towns and railway stations, farming and agriculture, mining opportunities, and weather patterns.
Throughout the guidebook are countless engravings, both full page and in-text, from well known engravers of the time. Meant to further entice readers to take this overland journey, the illustrations offer views of key tourist spots, townviews, and scenic destinations, throughout the featured states of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The guidebook is also supplemented by pages of printed advertisements in the beginning of the book, showcasing local businesses, services, and wares.
Charles Sumner...
Category
Antique 1880s American Late Victorian Books
Materials
Leather, Fabric, Paper
You May Also Like
TOLKIEN. The Hobbit. 1937 - 1st ED 2nd IMPRESSION - THE FIRST WITH COLOR PLATES!
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: TOLKIEN, J. R. R.
TITLE: The Hobbit or There and Back Again.
PUBLISHER: London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1937.
DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION SECOND IMPRESSION AND THE FIRST...
Category
Vintage 1930s British Books
Materials
Leather
TOLKIEN, J. R. R. - The Hobbit - 1937 - FIRST EDITION - FIRST PRINTING !
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: TOLKIEN, J. R. R.
TITLE: The Hobbit or There and Back Again.
PUBLISHER: London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1937.
DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION FIRST PRINTING. 1 vol., 7-11/16...
Category
Vintage 1930s British Books
Materials
Fabric
1902 The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe
Located in Bath, GB
A beautiful limited edition set of the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe, illustrated with ten plates to each volume, and signed by t...
Category
Antique Early 1900s Books
Materials
Paper
The Works Of Edgar Allen Poe. - 10 vols. in 5 - IN A FULL LEATHER BINDING!
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: POE, Edgar Allan.
TITLE: The Works Of Edgar Allen Poe.
PUBLISHER: Boston: Jefferson Press, n.d., (c.1900)
DESCRIPTION: 10 vols. in 5, 8-7/16" x 6-1/16", illustrated, titl...
Category
Antique Early 1900s American Books
Materials
Leather
CHURCHILL. History of The English Speaking Peoples - ALL FIRST EDITIONS. 4 vols
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: CHURCHILL, Winston.
TITLE: A History of The English-Speaking Peoples.
PUBLISHER: London: Cassell and Co, Ltd., 1956-8.
DESCRIPTION: ALL FIRST LONDON EDITIONS. 4 volumes, ...
Category
Vintage 1950s British Books
Materials
Leather
1884 The Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Located in Bath, GB
A beautifully illustrated and very smartly bound, limited edition of Edgar Allan Poe's works. In a lovely Bickers binding.
Limited edition, numbered 14 of 150 copies printed with pr...
Category
Antique 1880s British Books
Materials
Paper
