The Fellowship of the Ring. Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings. [Plus] The Two Towers. Being the Second Part . [Plus] The Return of the King. Being the Third Part .. This item is unavailable.The Fellowship of the Ring. Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings. [Plus] The Two Towers. Being the Second Part . [Plus] The Return of the King. Being the Third Part .

London, George Allen and Unwin, December 1954 (second impression)/ July 1954; 1955 (second impression)/ [November] 1954; and [October] 1955 (first edition). Octavo, three volumes, 423, [1] (colophon); 352 (first leaf blank); and 416 (first two leaves blank) pages with a colour map on page 25 in the first volume plus a large folding colour map tipped in at the rear of each volume (the same map of Middle Earth in the first two volumes; a map of Rohan, Gondor and Mordor in the third volume). Red cloth lettered in gilt on the spines, top edges dyed red (as issued), complete with the original dustwrappers; all volumes have a tape stain at the top and bottom of the front and rear covers and free endpapers (with a very light impression on the maps at the rear), and ownership details in ink on the front free endpapers. Additional comments relating to the individual volumes are as follows. First volume: cloth slightly marked; bottom corners a little bumped; dye on the top edge faded; all edges slightly marked; front hinge cracked but firm; light tape impression to the top and bottom margin of the half-title; bottom corner of the textblock lightly bumped throughout; minimal signs of age and use; overall, a very good copy with the good price-clipped second-impression dustwrapper lightly stained and marked, and a little worn and torn at the extremities. The small contemporary paper label of the Adelaide booksellers Beck Book Co. Ltd. is mounted at the foot of the front pastedown. Second volume: corners bumped; edges lightly marked; light tape impression to the top and bottom margin of the initial blank; top and bottom corners of the textblock lightly bumped; tiny stain (approximately 1 × 10 mm) to the top edge of the last 18 leaves (slightly larger on the last leaf and rear free endpaper); a very good copy with the very good unclipped second-impression dustwrapper a little marked and lightly used, with one tiny chip and two short creased tears. Third volume: a few light stains to the cloth, with the front corners bumped; leading and bottom edges lightly marked; light tape impression to the top and bottom margin of the initial blank; top and bottom corners of the first half of the book very lightly bumped; overall, a very good copy with the very good unclipped dustwrapper a little marked and lightly used. Hammond and Anderson A5a.i, A5a.ii, and A5a.iii. First-impression print runs were 3000, 3250 and 7000 copies respectively, but there were only 2500 copies of the second impression of the first volume (which had to be completely reset - see Hammond and Anderson, page 97), and only 1800 copies of the second impression of the second volume. Overall, notwithstanding the blemishes described in depth above, this set presents very well as it stands, but could be greatly improved with judicious conservation. [3 items].…