When did JRRT monogram start to appear in the books?

The monogram with dots appears on the '81 edition of Letters (two years) before BOLT I was published.

http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=837

The newer oval monogram first appears in the '90 PB edition of Letters published by Unwin Hyman. According to Deagol's site. "This book represents the first time that the JRRT monogram appeared on the covers of the The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien."

http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=839

Thanks!
I also just noticed the 1979 ed Pictures by J.R.R.Tolkien already has the dots. So the 1980 ed of UT seems to be a mistake? Is there any more book without the dots?

From memory, it was used on the cover of Pictures in 1979. I can't remember if it was used in one of the early Unwin calendars.

Not sure I would give much credence to a website that can't spell Tolkien or JRRT!

It’s very first public appearance was not by George Allen & Unwin, and before Pictures (which is the correct first book cover that it appeared on). Also the way Tolkien drew it has a major difference from how it is used on his books. A puzzle for you!

I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram. But have some fun today if you like trying to guess (or researching) where it was first reproduced - the only time it wasn’t “fixed” to how it is today.

To the best of my knowledge, the Tolkien ‘logo’ first appeared on the title page of Drawings by Tolkien: Catalogue of an Exhibition of Drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien Oxford: Ashmolean Museum; London: National Book League, 1976. Although the catalogue does not identify the author, it begins with a Foreword and an Introduction by Baillie Tolkien.

Later it reappeared on the title page of Pictures by JRR Tolkien, Tolkien C. (Ed), London, George Allen & Unwin, 1979. It was also embossed in gold on the cover.

The design was created some time in the 1910-1920s. It appears on the back cover of The Book of Ishness. In one of the earliest pages of the sketchbook, he tries out several versions of it before identifying the one which suits him best and which he will use henceforth for the rest of his life.

Urulókë wrote:

I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram.

I'm also very interested in the origin of this monogram. Looking forward to your article .

Ligandil wrote:

Urulókë wrote:

I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram.

I'm also very interested in the origin of this monogram. Looking forward to your article .

I am as well. Where will it appear Urulókë?

Urulókë wrote:

It’s very first public appearance was not by George Allen & Unwin, and before Pictures (which is the correct first book cover that it appeared on). Also the way Tolkien drew it has a major difference from how it is used on his books. A puzzle for you!

I’m working on a much longer article about his monogram. But have some fun today if you like trying to guess (or researching) where it was first reproduced - the only time it wasn’t “fixed” to how it is today.

Looking forward to it! How about the one in 1980 UT spine without the 8 dots? Shouldn't it count as "unfixed"?

Vanyarin wrote:

To the best of my knowledge, the Tolkien ‘logo’ first appeared on the title page of Drawings by Tolkien: Catalogue of an Exhibition of Drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien Oxford: Ashmolean Museum; London: National Book League, 1976.

Thanks! I find it! https://pictures.abebooks.com/inventory/30315493516_3.jpg

Vanyarin wrote:

The design was created some time in the 1910-1920s. It appears on the back cover of The Book of Ishness. In one of the earliest pages of the sketchbook, he tries out several versions of it before identifying the one which suits him best and which he will use henceforth for the rest of his life.

Could you tell me where to find the source (described in some book / catalog or only in Bodleian Meseum)? Was the original design ever published?