Profiles in History, an auction house in Beverly Hills, CA has put in their latest catalog the original manuscript and artwork for J. R. R. Tolkien's poem, Bilbo's Last Song. The estimate for the entire lot is $20,000 to $30,000. Update: The lot sold for $20,000 plus 18% buyer's premium, for a total of $23,600.

The lot includes the original 20" x 30" Pauline Baynes painting, signed; typed manuscript (single page) including hand written annotations; autographed letter to Miss M. Joy Hill, friend and secretary of J. R. R. Tolkien, giving her the manuscript and the copyright for it, but asking her not to publish it until after his death; a second signed letter with further details on the gift.

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Images of all of the items can currently be seen on eBay here. The live auction will be held on December 15th.

Profiles in history claims this to be a very rare opportunity to own a manuscript of a published Tolkien work. The Baynes artwork is also quite interesting, as Tolkien related pieces do not often come on the market any more. Together with the letters, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a Tolkien collector with deep pockets.