Tolkien & Baynes

There were three Pauline Baynes posters:

Map of Middle-earth
There and Back Again
Bilbo's Last Song

There are jigsaws of the second two (and maybe the first one as well?)

I have a promo poster from 1981 that shows the Pauline Baynes slipcase artwork - will send you a picture if you like.

There is correspondence between A&U and PB at Reading, but this only goes up to 1968. Wayne and Christina are working on a book about Pauline Baynes, but as far as I know there is no publication date yet.

There's a puzzle for the first one as well (The Map of Middle-earth).

Bilbo's Last Song (the poster) is actually the true first edition for that Tolkien poem. I don't have my Hammond at this computer to give the reference, but I thought that was an interesting tidbit.

There was a deluxe LOTR boxed set from Ballantine in the early 70's (larger trade paperback format) that had full color Baynes illustrations on each cover, and the Map on the box.

Jeremy

Thanks for this info... but i do have all the objects mentioned. I'm trying to located the limited edition print of the maps poster of which three were signed (by Baynes and Tolkien). I'm also trying to find the history behind the map of Middle-earth towel. These were given on a celebration by Allen&Unwin to the personel and i'm quit sure also Tolkien was there and had a towel like that one also.

Haven't heard of the towel, interesting find.

Hammond (I wrote a long response and the board ate it, grrr, so now I am winging from memory) in Eii4 says the Baynes poster had 50 copies made marked as private press, 7500 copies made on normal paper (I forget the paper type, he is specific), and an unspecified number on glossy paper. An unknown number (possibly 0, Hammond never saw one) were also printed with Ballantine Books printed on the bottom and sent to the USA. Hammond also says that an unknown number were signed by Tolkien (with a water based ink so some smeared). No mention of Baynes signing them is made. Hammond's source is a GA&U memo circa 1970, so perhaps Deagol will find out more information during his research.

The Tolkienalia list from Beyond Bree (1992) does not mention any signed copies, but it's a sporadic source (great info on what it does list, but it is by no means a complete list).

Did Pauline do any special illustrations for Amon Hen or Mallorn issues (i.e. not just reprints of illustrations that appear elsewhere)?

I had thought that the tea towels were from around 1977. The two that I know of turned up in the same batch of goodies as a Silmarillion t-shirt and some promo leaflets that also date from 1977.

I remember hearing that a small number (3?) of the posters were signed - for Tolkien's grandchildren maybe? It is a very vague memory - I can't remember where from.

Sadly the A&U archive only runs until 1968, when they abandoned central filing - later records were disposed of when Unwin Hyman was formed, and/or when HarperCollins took over.

There was a Het Spectrum promo version of the Bilbo's Last Song poster - translated into Dutch.

The Tolkien Society's Oliphaunt mouse-mat is illustrated by PB...!

The Tea Towel States 1971 George Allen & Unwin, design by JRR Tolkien/Pauline Baynes.

High Quality and made from Irish Linen. Measures 21" by 30".

The 'Map of Middle-earth' was comissioned in 1969 and indeed Hammond points out a first print of 50 and some signed. I'll specify the papers and printers later, because my Hammond is lying at home.

I'm very sure I once saw an auction of rare maps where they sold one of the signed maps. That one was signed by both J.R.R. Tolkien and Baynes. I also remember that that auction claimed there were only 3 such signed posters in existence and that they were printed on special paper in 1971. But if i recall well here are mentioned a total of 100 as first print...

As i can assume both the first posters and the towels were made in 1971 and talks for this started in 1969. So maybe there is something in the Unwin archives... but as Deagol says they end in 1968, so probably not.

There is also a manufacturer mentioned on the towel, but it slips my mind right now. Maybe i can find more info if i go and track down the manufacturer of the tea towel. We'll see.

Beren - I just did a Google search and have realised that your PB tea-towel is one of the 2 that I saw a few years ago (it was framed by my ex-girlfriend!). It is hard to be sure, but I would have thought that the stated year 1971 refers to when the picture was copyrighted, i.e. when it was first published as a poster.

I also found this online:

Mercator's World; 11/1/2002
This Map of Middle Earth, by J.R.R. Tolkien and Pauline Baynes, is very similar to that which appears in LotR, but in this instance it is one of 100 copies that were printed on special paper in 1971. It also is 1 of only 3 of those copies that were signed by both Tolkien and Baynes, and one that has had the frieze that once formed an ornamental border removed at the instruction of Tolkien, who thought the poster map, now roughly nineteen inches square, looked much better without it. This copy, inscribed as a birthday gift to Claire Turner, one of his god-daughters, was sold at Bonhams: London on June 19 for GBP4,063 to London book dealer Simon Finch. One of the other two signed copies was given to another of the writer's goddaughters--a copy sold at Sotheby's: London in 1992 for GBP990 -and the remaining copy was given to Joy Hill, Tolkien's correspondence secretary.

and this:

The Birmingham Post (England); 6/17/2002
A rare map of Middle Earth signed by JRR Tolkien could fetch up to GBP4,000 when it is auctioned tomorrow. The map, which shows scenes from LotR, is one of only 300 copies produced in 1971. The map is one of only three signed by Tolkien. It shows scenes like Mount Doom, Minas Tirith and Hobbiton which feature in the books inspired by Tolkien's childhood in Birmingham. It was given as a birthday present to Claire Turner, a relation of Tolkien's correspondence secretary Joy Hill. Melanie Way, children's book specialist at London auction house Bonhams, said: 'We are expecting a lot of interest. At first glance this does not look that amazing but only 300 were made, and only three were signed by the author.' This one was signed in 1973, the year Tolkien died.

and this:

The Birmingham Post (England); 6/19/2002
A rare map showing scenes from LotR and signed by JRR Tolkien was sold for GBP3,995 at a London auction yesterday. The map of Middle-earth, which is one of only 300 copies produced on special paper in 1971, was bought by a dealer. The document was sold at Bonhams auction house in Knowle, Solihull. Another signed map fetched just GBP900 when it was sold in 1992 but the recent film of LotR has re-ignited a passion for the author, a spokeswoman for Bonhams said. A first edition of The Hobbit, which dates back to 1937, was expected to fetch GBP15,000 but did not sell. A third edition signed by the author and with an estimated price of GBP1,500 - 2,000 fetched GBP3,055.

Below are the lot descriptions from the Sotheby's catalogue for 14-15 Dec 1992. The quantities differ slightly to those given in the newspaper articles.

139. There and Back Again, a Map of Bilbo's Journey through Eriador and Rhovanion. Large coloured map with 10 circular illustrations depicting scenes from the journey, signed by the author and artist, Tolkien's signature smudged, framed and glazed, 487x702mm.
The map is based on Tolkien's own design reproduced as endpapers in The Hobbit, 100 copies were printed on special paper in 1971. This was the only one to be signed by Tolkien.

140. A Map of Middle-earth. large coloured map with 10 circular illustrations depicting scenes from LotR, signed by the author and artist, the frieze forming ornamental border removed, framed and glazed, 474x499mm.
The map itself is similar to the one reproduced in LotR designed by Tolkien. Again 100 copies were printed on special paper in 1971 but this one of three signed by Tolkien. Besides this copy for Joy Hill there were 2 others for god-children of the author.

A reply from Bonhams about the map:

194
TOLKIEN (J.R.R.) and PAULINE BAYNES
A Map of Middle-Earth, large coloured map with 10 circular illustrations depicting scenes from "The Lord of the Rings", signed by the author and artist, the frieze forming the ornamental border removed, 470 by 490mm., [1971]

£3,000-4,000

The map itself is similar to the one reproduced in "The Lord of the Rings" designed by Tolkien. 100 copies were printed on special paper in 1971 but this is one of three signed by Tolkien. Inscribed on the reverse "This map was signed for Claire Turner's birthday in July 1973 by J.R.R. Tolkien and Pauline Baynes. Professor Tolkien thought the map made a better picture by removing the top & bottom of what was the original poster. J.R.R. Tolkien signed only 3 of these maps, which are printed on special paper. This is Map No.2. Joy Hill 22 September 1973". Of the 3 signed maps, there was the one named here, one for Joy Hill (Tolkien's correspondence secretary) and one for another of Tolkien's goddaughters. See Sotheby's December 14 1992, lot 140.