The Lord of the Rings Trilogy First Edition, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, 1959-1961

A rare and highly collectable first edition set of J.R.R. Tolkien’s monumental The Lord of the Rings trilogy, comprising The Fellowship of the Ring (1959, eighth impression), The Two Towers (1960, seventh impression), and The Return of the King (1961, seventh impression), all published by George Allen & Unwin in London.

Tolkien’s epic, originally published between 1954 and 1955, redefined modern fantasy and became one of the most enduring literary achievements of the twentieth century. Rooted in Tolkien’s deep knowledge of philology, mythology, and medieval literature, The Lord of the Rings presents a fully realized secondary world, Middle-earth, inhabited by hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men, all caught in a battle between light and darkness.

The trilogy follows Frodo Baggins, an unassuming hobbit from the Shire, who inherits a simple gold ring, only to discover it is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to dominate all life. Guided by the wizard Gandalf and joined by a fellowship of allies, Frodo sets out on a perilous quest to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Alongside the central journey of Frodo and Samwise, the narrative expands into a rich tapestry of parallel storylines, epic battles, and the slow rise of hope in the face of overwhelming evil.

This set represents the early UK printings of the first edition, published just a few years after the initial release. Each volume includes the original folding map of Middle-earth, a key visual element that grounds readers in Tolkien’s carefully constructed geography. These early impressions reflect the moment when the legend of Middle-earth began to take root in the minds of readers and before the global phenomenon the trilogy would become.

An essential acquisition for rare book collectors, this first edition set captures the early publication history of one of the most influential literary works of the modern era. As foundational as it is beloved, The Lord of the Rings continues to inspire generations, and early examples such as this remain central to any serious collection of 20th-century literature.

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