20 Hour Anniversary Livestream

The Tolkien Society award-winning website, TolkienGuide.com, was first started in 2006 by Urulókë and has been a place for collectors, researchers, and readers alike to come together, to learn more about Tolkien's books and those associated with him. Begun initially as a collectors space, the guide has grown over the years to cover much more for anyone with an interest in Tolkien. From our Tolkien Society nominated Guide to Tolkien's Letters to other guides covering calendars, books, a future guides including a new bibliography, archives, people and much more to come. The site also has an invaluable Books Store and Events Calendar.

In recognition of the website's twenty years, we will be hosting a continuous live^{minus some content recorded beforehand for us to grab some short breaks[1]} twenty hour stream between the 3rd and 4th of October this year.

We will have special guests from the world of Tolkien publishing, collecting, and those who work on projects both online and in the real world joining us. We will have some prizes, a summary of the last twenty years of Tolkien publishing, and more activities to be announced.

We would be delighted to welcome you all at some point during the event, or all of it for those brave among you. It will take place online. The start and finish time will be announced in due course. While it will be a long stint, there should be a time slot that works for everybody.

We would like to extend our thanks to the guests who are already planning to join us and as we get closer to October we will announce more details and news on those guests and others. We have some amazing names lined up already including editors, researchers, and collectors who will join us to talk about their rare and cherished items, editing Tolkien, and their projects. If any of you would like to talk about your own interests, we would love to hear from you.^{onthetrail is coordinating with guests but feel free to reach out to any of us if you would like to join us live.[2]}

Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Jenny Hall • 28 February 1966 (#2927)

Bidding Starts on Wed, 8 Jul 2026 11:00 AM GMT

Lot 52

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
Typed letter signed ('J.R.R. Tolkien') to Jenny Hall, Hillcrest, Hatfield, 28 February 1966.

Details
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973)
Typed letter signed ('J.R.R. Tolkien') to Jenny Hall, Hillcrest, Hatfield, 28 February 1966.
One page, 228 x 177mm, with an autograph insertion of six lines. Envelope. With the retained draft of Jenny Hall's letter to Tolkien. Provenance: from the recipient.

On place names and walking elms: 'Gandalf had asked one or two of them to keep a watch on the Shire...'. A thoughtful and engaging reply to an attentive reader, in which Tolkien addresses the relationship between real and imagined locations in The Lord of the Rings.

‘I have been in most parts of Wales, but the place names I use are made up from English models or borrowed from books, though Crickhollow was actually meant to resemble Crickhowell.

The walking elms were meant to be ents (but not entwives). Gandalf had asked one or two of them to keep a watch on the Shire, but he did not tell anybody about it. As can be gathered from Treebeard's conversations with M[erry] and P[ippin] he knew a lot more about events than they guessed, and more about "hobbits" than he pretended to’.

Tolkien’s imaginative world was fundamentally linguistic in origin, stories were created to bring his invented languages to life. The sound of Welsh, for example, shaped Sindarin, while Old English and Old Norse influenced the cultures of Rohan and the northern kingdoms. Letters of this kind exemplify Tolkien’s generosity to readers during the 1960s, when his growing fame brought an increasing volume of correspondence. Despite the pressures of revision work and the demands of his mounting fame, his replies remain intellectually engaged, offering rare and personal insights into his imaginative world.

Written between 1937 and 1949, The Lord of the Rings was published in three volumes across 1954–55, when Tolkien was a philologist professor at Oxford. The trilogy became an overnight cultural phenomenon. By the time he retired from academia in 1959, the work's immense global success had already transformed him from a private scholar into an international celebrity, thrusting him into a frantic world of fame of whose disruptive effects he not infrequently complained.

Estimate GBP 5-7,000

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6594 ... c3eccedd32&cosid=43740350

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If you are interested, please shoot me a pm and we can go from there.

Bonhams, Fine Books and Manuscripts

Ending from Wed, 1 Jul 2026 11:00 AM GMT
Online, London, Knightsbridge

Lot 157

TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
The Hobbit or There and Back Again, FIRST EDITION, SECOND IMPRESSION, half-title, 13 plates and illustrations (4 colour), advertisement leaf at end, map endpapers by the author printed in red and black, light spotting, publisher's pictorial light green cloth (one small dent on lower edge of upper cover, spine a little faded, spine ends bumped), dust-jacket (some loss at head and foot of spine and folds, edges frayed, toned, spotted on verso) [cf. Hammond A3(a) and p.13], 8vo, George Allen & Unwin, [1937, but 1938]
Footnotes

The first edition, second impression was dated 1937 but actually published in January 1938. It saw the first appearance of four additional colour illustrations by Tolkien. Some 2300 copies were printed, although 423 unbound copies were destroyed at the binders during the Blitz in 1940.

Estimate GBP 6,000-8,000

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32105/ ... -and-unwin-1937-but-1938/

Lot 158

TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
[The Lord of the Rings], FIRST EDITIONS: The Fellowship of the Ring, fifteenth impression; The Two Towers, twelfth impression; The Return of the King, eleventh impression, 3 vol., EACH VOLUME SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR, folding map at end of each volume, light toning, tape stains on endpapers (probably from old dust-jacket cover), publisher's red cloth, dust-jackets (light staining and toning mostly to "The Return of the King"), 8vo, George Allen and Unwin, [1965-1966]; together with typed letter and newspaper cutting (5)
Footnotes

'A HONEYMOON COUPLE I KNOW SPENT LAST WEEK READING IT ALOUD TO EACH OTHER': these volumes were signed by the author for Jenny and Mike Bangs, the couple so described in the opening paragraph of John Ezard's interview with Tolkien, 'Writers Talking - 1: The Hobbit Man,' published in the Oxford Mail, 3 August 1966, p. 4 (the interview having taken place on 26 July 1966), a press cutting of which is included in the lot. Tolkien signed the books following the interview with Ezard. Also accompanying the volumes is a typed letter signed from Ezard to the Bangs, in which the journalist writes: "Dear Mike and Jenny, So far eight people in the office have read that opening paragraph and assumed I was talking about the Kama Sutra". Ezard was, of course, describing The Lord of the Rings.

Provenance: Mike and Jenny Bangs, thence by descent.

Estimate GBP 20,000-30,000

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32105/ ... -and-newspaper-cutting-5/

Lot 159

Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Wood • Summer or Autumn 1970 (#278)

TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
Autograph letter signed twice ("J.R.R. Tolkien" and with initials "J.R.R.T") to Mr Wood ("Dear Mr Wood"), enclosing three signed cards [not present], sending his publisher's addresses as he moved from Oxford two years ago ("...into 'retirement': not from writing but from publicity..."), extensive postscript on verso discussing the dust-jacket of the India paper edition of volume 3, describing its simplified design ("...The erupting mountain & the long arm of Sauron 'terrible but impotent', in the top background, could not be accommodated to stamping... the silver inscription, between the wings and the throne containing the words of Elendil... was too delicate..."), ending with clarifying a point regarding the iteration of Elendil's name ("...without vowel-signs L-ND-L..."), 2 pages, dust-staining, creased, small tear lower edge, 8vo (169 x 129mm.), London, [n.d. but late summer/autumn 1970]
Footnotes

'THE ERUPTING MOUNTAIN & THE LONG ARM OF SAURON "TERRIBLE BUT IMPOTENT"': TOLKIEN ADAPTS HIS DUST-JACKET DESIGN FOR THE NEW EDITION OF THE RETURN OF THE KING.

In early 1954, Tolkien perfected the final drawings for the first hardback edition of The Lord of the Rings. The third volume, The Return of the King, included elements associated with Aragorn and his Numenorean heritage. Due to the cost, however, the publisher Allen & Unwin eventually settled for a single design, with variations, for all three volumes. For the India paper edition, published in 1969, Tolkien here explains that certain elements such as the quote from Elendil, the first High King of Gondor and Arnor, had to be simplified to accommodate the stamping process.

Our letter is noted in Christina Scull and Wayne G Hammond, The Tolkien Companion and Guide; I Chronology, 2006, p.750 and published on Tolkien Gateway online but not in Humphrey Carpenter (ed.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 1981.

Estimate GBP 8,000-12,000

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32105/ ... t-late-summerautumn-1970/

Lot 160

TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
The Hobbit, third edition, fifth impression, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed on half-title "signed for Michael Dobson / J.R.R. Tolkien", and with further inscription from Dobson's aunt and uncle at foot of page dated 1971, 12 illustrations, advertisement leaf at end, publisher's green cloth (slight soiling to upper cover and offsetting to spine, some browning to endpapers), dust-jacket (price-clipped, tape stains on upper flap, edges a little frayed), 8vo, George Allen and Unwin, 1970
Footnotes

A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR THE NEPHEW OF A NEIGHBOUR, INSCRIBED BY TOLKIEN DURING HIS FINAL YEARS.

Like the three volumes in the following lot, the present copy of The Hobbit was inscribed by Tolkien as a favour for his neighbours, with whom the author was on friendly terms during the years he spent living in Poole. Having purchased the books as a birthday present for their nephew, Michael Dobson, they asked Tolkien to sign them for him, and he graciously agreed. Tolkien and his wife Edith had moved to Branksome, Poole in 1968, to escape the intrusions caused by his growing fame in Oxford following his retirement. They lived there until Edith's death in November 1971, after which Tolkien moved back to Oxford in March 1972.

Provenance: Michael Dobson, gift inscription on half-title "From Auntie Win and Uncle Bert, 1971", and thence by descent to the present owner.

Estimate GBP 15,000-25,000

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32105/ ... rge-allen-and-unwin-1970/

Lot 161

TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
[The Lord of the Rings:] The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King, all revised second edition, fifth impression, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPIES, EACH INSCRIBED ON HALF-TITLES "signed for Michael Dobson" (in 'The Two Towers' "Tolkien" neatly crossed out and replaced with "Dobson"), folding map at end of each volume, tape stains on endpapers (probably from old dust-jacket covers), publisher's red cloth (spine ends bumped), dust-jackets (clipped, 20mm. mark on spine of 'The Two Towers", edges and spine ends a little bumped), 8vo, George Allen and Unwin, 1970
Footnotes

A SET OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY INSCRIBED BY THE DISTRACTED TOLKIEN FOR HIS NEIGHBOURS' NEPHEW.

The three volumes were inscribed by Tolkien as a special favour for his neighbours, with whom the author was on friendly terms during the years he spent living in Poole. Having purchased the trilogy as a birthday gift for their nephew, Michael Dobson, they asked Tolkien to sign them for him, and he graciously agreed. Tolkien and his wife Edith had moved to Branksome, Poole in 1968, to escape the intrusions caused by his growing fame in Oxford following his retirement. They lived there until Edith's death in November 1971, after which Tolkien moved back to Oxford in March 1972.

All three volumes, revised editions of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, bear presentation inscriptions in the author's hand. Particularly poignant is the inscription in The Two Towers, where Tolkien begins to write his own surname in place of the recipient's, catching the error and striking it through neatly before completing the inscription with the correct surname "Dobson".

Provenance: Michael Dobson, gift inscriptions on endpapers "From Auntie Win and Uncle Bert, 1971", and thence by descent.

Estimate GBP 15,000-25,000

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32105/ ... rge-allen-and-unwin-1970/

Lot 162

Carpenter #324a: Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs. Phyllis Robertson • 10 June 1971 (#290)

TOLKIEN (J.R.R.)
Autograph letter signed ("Ronald Tolkien") to "My dear Ladies", sending them two signed copies of Verses "...I hope for your enjoyment, and in any case as a memento of our meetings...", and apologising for the delay in so doing since their return from "...the ease of the Belmont...", commenting that the weather has been good "...in this favoured corner of England..." until today: " ...the weather has only just turned bad...in sunshine, immune from storms... at 4 a.m. a Noachic rain began and is still going on non-stop (8 p.m.). One does not read of the great play-cycles of biblical episodes, that used to be performed on Corpus Christi in the open being 'washed out'... It may have made the play of Noah more realistic...", ending by sending best wishes from himself and his wife; with a note at end "please mark any reply Personal...", one page, dust-staining, creased particularly at head, 4to (215 x 155mm.), c/o George Allen & Unwin, London, "Corpus Christi [10 June] 1971"
Footnotes

'NOACHIC RAIN': TOLKIEN REFLECTS ON MEDIAEVAL MYSTERY PLAYS AND THE BRITISH WEATHER.

Tolkien and his wife had spent a week in May at the Belmont Hotel in Sidmouth (Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (eds), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, 2006, pp.753-4) and commented on the fine weather there in a letter to his son Christopher on 2 June: 'Our brief holiday to Sidmouth, which was what Dr Tolhurst's advice boiled down to, was very pleasant indeed. We were lucky in our time – in fact the only week available at the hotel – since May was such a wonderful month – and we came in for a "spring explosion" of glory' (Letters, p.323). The "Verses" sent with the letter were copies of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book, published by Allen & Unwin in 1962. The passage describing "Noachic rain" from our letter is published in Humphrey Carpenter (ed.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 1981, where the recipient is named as Phyllis Robertson (no.324a, p.576), although this letter is addressed to two "Ladies".

The form of signature used here – "Ronald" as opposed to "J.R.R." Tolkien – is rare and was used for friends only; in 1963 he wrote to his publishers, who proposed reproducing the "Ronald" signature in facsimile, 'I do not and never have used the signature "Ronald Tolkien" as an auctorial signature, and I do not think it suitable for this purpose' (3 February 1964, to Ronald Eames, Tolkien Companion, p.616).

Provenance: Bonhams, 19 March 2013, lot 186.

Estimate GBP 3,000-5,000

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/32105/ ... pus-christi-10-june-1971/

The Telegraph report that a "Lost Tolkien work discovered in Bodleian archives".

Cossio observes that he

“opened the box… I could hardly believe my eyes. Among the
materials was a translation by Tolkien that, as far as we could tell, nobody had
publicly discussed before.”

Soul's Ward, Tolkien's translation of the medieval text will be published in the Review of English Studies on June 8. It is edited by Andoni Cossio.