Lord of the Rings SIGNED Second Edition Set

 5RV, J.R.R. Tolkien. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. Second Revised UK Edition set, 2nd Impression 1967, 2nd Impression 1967, 2nd Impression 1967. First book SIGNED

Notes

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings over the span of more than a decade, beginning in 1937 after the success of The Hobbit and continuing through the 1940s, much of it during the turmoil of World War II. Originally conceived as a sequel to The Hobbit, the story grew into an epic of mythological depth, influenced by Tolkien’s love of ancient languages, Norse and Anglo-Saxon lore, and his devout Catholic faith. He painstakingly crafted the vast world of Middle-earth, complete with its own languages, histories, and cultures, weaving themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the corrupting power of evil into the narrative. Tolkien often wrote in longhand, revising repeatedly, and shared drafts with his close friend C.S. Lewis and the literary group known as the Inklings. His dedication to detail and linguistic invention set The Lord of the Rings apart as a monumental work in fantasy literature.

The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy composed of three volumes—The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King—each chronicling the epic journey of Frodo Baggins and his companions as they seek to destroy the One Ring and defeat the dark lord Sauron. Set in the richly imagined world of Middle-earth, the books blend high adventure, deep moral themes, and intricate lore, creating a tapestry of ancient myths, heroic quests, and timeless struggles between good and evil. With its wide cast of characters—hobbits, elves, dwarves, men, and wizards—the series explores themes of friendship, courage, temptation, and hope. Tolkien’s masterful world-building, lyrical prose, and invented languages elevate the story into a foundational work of modern fantasy, deeply loved by generations of readers.

The second revised edition of The Lord of the Rings printed in the UK was published by George Allen & Unwin in 1966, following the earlier 1965 revisions made in response to the unauthorized Ace Books edition in the U.S. Tolkien took this opportunity to make more thorough corrections and refinements, especially to align the timeline across the books, clarify linguistic inconsistencies, and improve the appendices. He worked with his publisher to ensure this version would reflect his intentions more accurately than the first edition, which had typographical errors and continuity issues. This UK second edition became the authoritative version for many subsequent printings and was crucial in preserving the integrity of Tolkien’s legendarium as readership and scholarly interest in his work rapidly expanded.

Description

Second revised edition SIGNED by author J.R.R. Tolkien on the title page of The Fellowship of the Ring. All in red cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine and original dust jackets. Some wear to head and foot of dust jackets. Some rubbing to the extremities and general yellowing to the back of dust wrapper.  Very fine condition overall.