Edition: First Edition
Published By: George Allen & Unwin Ltd
The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling novels ever written, having sold over 150 million copies, and has been named Britain's best-loved novel of all time in BBC's The Big Read. This first edition, first issue set is scarce and highly collectible; with only 3000 copies of the first instalment, 3250 of the second and 7000 of the third. All in original, unrestored dust jackets bearing the iconic motif of the 'eye of Sauron'. All jackets unclipped with the price of '21s net' displayed. All volumes are in original publisher's red cloth with gilt tooled title to spines. Top edge of text block coloured red to all books. Faint pencil inscription to books one and two which can easily be erased. Neat ink inscription to ffep of volume one 'Joyce Carjer-Smith [sic]. Book one has some bumping to spine edges with a little fading to cloth here; and two small faded marks, one along the bottom edge of the cover and one at the fore-edge. To the jacket there is toning, and darkening to spine. Spine edges are a little worn with shallow chips, not affecting text. Shallow split about 1 cm in length to hinge at the top. Creasing to spine over printed 'J. R. R.' although still legible. Very small dark mark covering the 't' in 'part' to the spine. Endpapers are toned. Faint infrequent spotting to some of the pages, marginal and mostly to the rear. Fold out map to rear is present and intact; clean and crisp. 424 pp + fold-out map. Book two has a little bumping and fading to spine edges of cloth, and very slight fading along the bottom edge of the cover. The jacket is toned with darkening to spine. Shallow chips to spine edges, and shallow loss to top left edge of spine, about 1 cm in length, not affecting text. Split to lower hinge of jacket about 1.5 cm in length. Light toning to endpapers. Very faint marginal spotting occasionally to rear pages. Fold out map to rear present and intact; clean and crisp. 352 pp + fold out map. Book three has very minor bumping to spine edges of cloth binding, otherwise sharp. Jacket is lightly toned to extremities but crisp without chipping. Faint toning and some foxing to ffep and rear endpapers. Very faint spotting to edge of text block. Fold out map to rear is present and intact; crisp and clean. 416 pp + fold out map.
Book Condition: Very Good
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Binding: Hardback
Ref: 106126
Price £38000.00