Thornton's Lord of the Rings Rebound SetThornton's Bookshop just put up for sale a nice rebound set of first impressions of The Lord of the Rings online for £7500. The full description given is as follows:

Tolkien, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel].
THE LORD OF THE RINGS. 3 volumes. First editions, first impressions

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (1954) THE TWO TOWERS (1954) THE RETURN OF THE KING.(1955)

George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1954-1955 First editions, first impressions,

Volume one: The Fellowship of the Ring,1954, 424pp., + folding map in the rear. 3000 copies were printed . Volume two: The Two Towers, 1954, 353pp., + folding map in the rear. 3250 copies were printed. With the errors on pp. 111 and 350. (Hammond-Anderson p. 98)
Volume three The Return of the King, 1955, 416pp., + folding map in the rear. 7000 copies were printed. With the signature mark ‘4’ and the slipped type on page 49 and the errors on pp. 31 101 and 209 (Hammond-Anderson p. 98 )
Octavo, In a splendid new full maroon leather binding by the Temple Bindery of Oxford (Ian Barnes) 5 traditional raised bands, panelled spines double-ruled in gilt, gilt ring and eye embossed devices to the front boards, Gilt inner dentelles. 2 black leather title labels on the spines, top edges stained red.

The 2 first volumes were Philip Toynbee’s personal copies and he must have referred to them in his now infamous 1961 Observer “In our time” article, where a.o. he wrote: “...most of his more ardent supporters were soon beginning to sell out their shares in Professor Tolkien, and to-day those books have passed into a merciful oblivion.”

Housed in a custom-made dark red velvet lined cloth slip case. Text evenly darkened as usual. An exquisite set. £7500


Link to Thornton's Bookshop page for this set