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Dominic Winters Auctions 21st January 2021
19 Dec, 2020
(edited)
2020-12-19 5:33:11 PM UTC
2020-12-19 5:33:11 PM UTC
On Line Auction that has some Tolkien Items
Lot 614: * Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel, 1892-1973).
Description
Qty: (2)
Notes
This early letter was written 3 months before Tolkien was interviewed and ultimately appointed as reader in English language at Leeds University; a post that was later converted into a professorship.
Auction Link
Estimate: £2000-£3000 (GBP)
Sold for £11500
The envelope is being sold separately for this item as part of Lot 630, sold for £860
Auction Link
Lot 891: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, 2nd edition, 5th impression, 1951
Description
Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, 2nd edition (5th impression), London: George Allen & Unwin, 1951, colour frontispiece, illustrations, map endpapers, top edge green, original green pictorial cloth, dust jacket, spine a little toned, a few small chips and tears, 8vo
Notes
A good copy of the 2nd edition, the 5th printing overall, and notable for the revisions by Tolkien to chapter 5, 'Riddles in the Dark'. As Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings he became aware of the inconsistencies in the character of Gollum, who originally was less demented and corrupted by his association with the Ring, and therefore at odds with his desperate obsession with the Ring in Lord of the Rings, hence the substantial revisions to chapter 5 in this present edition.
Auction Link
Estimate : £500-£800 (GBP)
Sold for £1800
Lot 897: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The History of Middle-Earth, 12 volumes, 1984-1996
Description
Tolkien (J.R.R.) The History of Middle-Earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien, 12 volumes, London: George Allen & Unwin/Unwin Hyman/HarperCollins, 1984-1996, comprising volume 1 4th impression, volumes 2-12 1st editions, original cloth, dust jackets, printed price to front flaps of volumes 3 & 5-12, slight fading to a few spines, 8vo, together with duplicates of volumes 1, 2, 4 & 6-9 all 1st editions (except volume I, 7th impression, 1988)
Auction Link
Estimate : £300-£500 (GBP)
Sold for £1000
Lot 614: * Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel, 1892-1973).
Description
- Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel, 1892-1973). English Writer, Poet, Philologist, and Academic. Autograph Letter Signed, 'JRR Tolkien', 1 Alfred Street, St. Giles, Oxford, 17 March 1920, to Miss Duncan, enclosing a 'mixed bag' of 50 possible examination questions on the Old English period and lamenting his general lack of time for anything, 'They are not intended to be models of clear questioning, but to suggest enquiries. The easily available critical writings that might help are all too few. I hope some time to make out something like a select bibliography, but I am enormously pressed for time this vacation...', neatly written in blue ink, light horizontal fold crease, 2 pp., small 8vo (14.5 x 11 cm), together with the 3-page folio typescript referred to, entitled 'Old English Literature Questions (miscellaneous)', with many annotations by Tolkien in his holograph, upwards of 37 words together with numerous minor emendations correcting mistyping and adding accents to various old English words, one annotation in an unidentified hand, a little creasing and marks to upper left corners where previously stapled, 3 leaves, 4to
Qty: (2)
Notes
This early letter was written 3 months before Tolkien was interviewed and ultimately appointed as reader in English language at Leeds University; a post that was later converted into a professorship.
Auction Link
Estimate: £2000-£3000 (GBP)
Sold for £11500
The envelope is being sold separately for this item as part of Lot 630, sold for £860
Auction Link
Lot 891: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, 2nd edition, 5th impression, 1951
Description
Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, 2nd edition (5th impression), London: George Allen & Unwin, 1951, colour frontispiece, illustrations, map endpapers, top edge green, original green pictorial cloth, dust jacket, spine a little toned, a few small chips and tears, 8vo
Notes
A good copy of the 2nd edition, the 5th printing overall, and notable for the revisions by Tolkien to chapter 5, 'Riddles in the Dark'. As Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings he became aware of the inconsistencies in the character of Gollum, who originally was less demented and corrupted by his association with the Ring, and therefore at odds with his desperate obsession with the Ring in Lord of the Rings, hence the substantial revisions to chapter 5 in this present edition.
Auction Link
Estimate : £500-£800 (GBP)
Sold for £1800
Lot 897: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The History of Middle-Earth, 12 volumes, 1984-1996
Description
Tolkien (J.R.R.) The History of Middle-Earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien, 12 volumes, London: George Allen & Unwin/Unwin Hyman/HarperCollins, 1984-1996, comprising volume 1 4th impression, volumes 2-12 1st editions, original cloth, dust jackets, printed price to front flaps of volumes 3 & 5-12, slight fading to a few spines, 8vo, together with duplicates of volumes 1, 2, 4 & 6-9 all 1st editions (except volume I, 7th impression, 1988)
Auction Link
Estimate : £300-£500 (GBP)
Sold for £1000
Pretty sure that this is the same Hobbit as in the auction
TOLKIEN, J.R.R. The Hobbit
Allen & Unwin, 1951.
Second revised edition (fifth printing overall). Original green cloth in pictorial dustwrapper designed by the author. Colour frontispiece by the author with full page black and white illustrations by the author throughout. A fine copy in a very good dustwrapper indeed, which shows a little wear to the head of the spine and corners and a short closed tear to the rear panel, but is generally bright and crisp.
The second edition of The Hobbit is significant for the substantial changes made by Tolkien in order to align the narrative of The Hobbit with the forthcoming The Lord Of The Rings.
In particular, the chapter Riddles In The Dark, was heavily revised to introduce the One Ring into the plot, replacing the magic ring Gollum bets in the Riddle Game of first edition. In the first edition Bilbo and Gollum part amicably with Gollum showing Bilbo the way out of the caverns. In this edition, when Bilbo wins the game Gollum attempts to kill him with the help of the ring, and then realising that Bilbo has the ring in his pocket, cries "Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it for ever!" This importantly also reframes Gollum from a character of minor interest, to the corrupted and treacherous role he would play in the sequels.
Tolkien explains these changes cleverly in his prefatory note to this edition:
"More important is the matter of Chapter Five. There the true story of the ending of the Riddle Game, as it was eventually revealed (under pressure) by Bilbo to Gandalf, is now given according the the Red Book, in place of the version Bilbo first gave to his friends, and actually set down in his diary. This departure from the truth on the part of a most honest hobbit was a portent of great significance. It does not, however, concern the present story, and those who in this edition make their first acquaintance with hobbit-lore need not trouble about it. Its explanation lies in the history of the Ring, as it is set out in the chronicles of the Red Book of Westmarch, and it must await their publication."
Hammon(sic) A3c.
£5,000.00
https://www.jonkers.co.uk/rare-book/12203/the-hobbit/j-r-r-tolkien
TOLKIEN, J.R.R. The Hobbit
Allen & Unwin, 1951.
Second revised edition (fifth printing overall). Original green cloth in pictorial dustwrapper designed by the author. Colour frontispiece by the author with full page black and white illustrations by the author throughout. A fine copy in a very good dustwrapper indeed, which shows a little wear to the head of the spine and corners and a short closed tear to the rear panel, but is generally bright and crisp.
The second edition of The Hobbit is significant for the substantial changes made by Tolkien in order to align the narrative of The Hobbit with the forthcoming The Lord Of The Rings.
In particular, the chapter Riddles In The Dark, was heavily revised to introduce the One Ring into the plot, replacing the magic ring Gollum bets in the Riddle Game of first edition. In the first edition Bilbo and Gollum part amicably with Gollum showing Bilbo the way out of the caverns. In this edition, when Bilbo wins the game Gollum attempts to kill him with the help of the ring, and then realising that Bilbo has the ring in his pocket, cries "Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it for ever!" This importantly also reframes Gollum from a character of minor interest, to the corrupted and treacherous role he would play in the sequels.
Tolkien explains these changes cleverly in his prefatory note to this edition:
"More important is the matter of Chapter Five. There the true story of the ending of the Riddle Game, as it was eventually revealed (under pressure) by Bilbo to Gandalf, is now given according the the Red Book, in place of the version Bilbo first gave to his friends, and actually set down in his diary. This departure from the truth on the part of a most honest hobbit was a portent of great significance. It does not, however, concern the present story, and those who in this edition make their first acquaintance with hobbit-lore need not trouble about it. Its explanation lies in the history of the Ring, as it is set out in the chronicles of the Red Book of Westmarch, and it must await their publication."
Hammon(sic) A3c.
£5,000.00
https://www.jonkers.co.uk/rare-book/12203/the-hobbit/j-r-r-tolkien
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