a totally unrestored set of first editions

At first, Tolkien intended The Lord of the Rings to be a children's tale in the style of The Hobbit but it quickly grew darker and more serious in the writing. Though a direct sequel to The Hobbit, it addressed an older audience, drawing on the immense back-story of Beleriand that Tolkien had constructed in previous years and which eventually saw posthumous publication in The Silmarillion and other volumes. Tolkien's influence weighs heavily on the fantasy genre that grew following the success of The Lord of the Rings.

First editions, first impressions; 3 vols, 8vo; The Fellowship of the Ring: signature mark '4' at bottom of p.49, two maps, one of which folding and tipped-in at rear; The Two Towers: signature mark '4' at bottom of p.49, folding map tipped-in at rear; The Return of the King: signature mark '4' present on p.49 and text 'sagging' in the middle, folding map tipped-in at rear; very few minor marginal blemishes, light offsetting to endpapers; publisher's red cloth, gilt lettering to spines, red topstains bright, slight lean to spines and minor rubbing to corners, bleed from lower board of Two Towers to foot of jacket's rear flap and lower margin of final 2 leaves; original unclipped pictorial dust jackets printed in red, black, and gold, some toning and rubbing to spines, light wear at corners and small chips at foot of spines, Fellowship with 85mm split to fold of front flap, a very good unrestored set.

Hammond & Anderson A5 i, ii, iii.