[The Lord of the Rings]

The Folio Society Tolkien Master Set Limited Editions in Fine Bindings by Smith Settle TOLKIEN, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings; The Hobbit; The Silmarillion. London: The Folio Society, 2002-2003. A magnificent uniform limited edition set, each title restricted to 1,750 numbered copies, the set comprising: The Lord of the Rings - copy no. 1296; The Hobbit - copy no. 1302; The Silmarillion - copy no. 1302. Subscribers Set. Together five octavo volumes (8 3/4 x 5 1/2 inches; 222 x 140 mm.). The Lord of the Rings (three volumes): [4], [1, limitation], [1, blank], [1-7], 8-459, [5 blank]; [4], [1-9], 10-372, [4, blank]; [4], [1-7], 8-487, [3, blank]; The Hobbit: [1, limitation], [1, blank], [1-7], 8-245, [3 blank] pp. The Silmarillion: [1, limitation], [2-5], 6-420, [2 blank] pp. With a large folding map of Beleriand inserted at end. The Lord of the Rings: illustrations by Ingahild Grathmer (after designs attributed to Tolkien), drawn by Eric Fraser. The Hobbit: illustrated by Eric Fraser. The Silmarillion: edited by Christopher Tolkien, illustrated by Frances Mosley. Elegantly bound by Smith Settle in quarter black Wassa goatskin over bronze hand-woven Indian silk boards, spines lettered in gilt, top edges gilt throughout. The endpapers vary by title: The Lord of the Rings: pale green map endpapers. The Hobbit: map endpapers printed in red and black. The Silmarillion: white speckled endpapers. The Lord of the Rings: housed in a full black morocco slipcase, one side richly gilt with decorative titling The Hobbit and The Silmarillion: each in matching individual slipcases. A fine set, exceptionally well-preserved, the bindings bright and the silk boards vibrant - a superior example of Folio Society craftsmanship at its height. This suite represents one of The Folio Society's most ambitious Tolkien productions, combining traditional materials (hand-woven silk, goatskin) with a unified aesthetic across the legendarium. The limitation of 1,750 copies per title ensures scarcity, while the involvement of Christopher Tolkien in The Silmarillion anchors the set firmly within the authoritative textual tradition. Sets in this condition - with all volumes present, uniformly preserved, and in their original slipcases - are increasingly difficult to assemble, particularly with matching limitation numbers for The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. …