Tolkien, J.R.R.; Lee, Alan (illustr.) (1992) ‘The Lord of the Rings’, first edition set in three volumes, all signed by Alan Lee

J.R.R. Tolkien; Alan Lee (illustrator) (1992) ‘The Lord of the Rings‘, UK first three volume editions, first printings, published by Harper Collins. All three volumes are signed by illustrator Alan Lee. ‘Fellowship’ also includes a sketch drawn by Alan Lee. Beautiful high quality blue cloth volumes.

Provenance: signed and sketched to us in person

Condition: all three books are in fine condition with no previous owner’s scribbles, no bookplates, no stamps. The dust jackets are fine as well, not price clipped. The original cardboard slipcase is included, but has split along the folds. That is not unusual and the reason why most sets lack the slipcase.

After years of talks Alan Lee finally convinced Christoper Tolkien, J.R.R’s son and head custodian of his work to illustrate ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Tolkien’s best known and greatest fantasy novel of all time. In 1991, ‘LOTR’ was published for the first time as an Alan Lee illustrated edition and in a single volume. The three volume edition followed a year later which is friendlier to the reader and resembles more the original LOTR publication of the 1950s which was also done in three volumes. Christoper was so impressed of Alan’s visual interpretations that ‘The Hobbit’ was illustrated by Alan in 1997 as well. They both collaborated on Tolkien’s posthumous books, Christopher editing Tolkien’s unfinished tales, whilst Alan working on the illustrations (‘Children of Hurin’ (2007), ‘Beren and Luthien’ (2017), ‘The Fall of Gondolin’ (2018)). Alan’s work caught the eye of film director Peter Jackson, and Alan was invited together with John Howe to come to New Zealand and help with the art of the movies. The result was an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Art Direction for Alan and his team in 2004.

A short summary video of Alan’s involvemnt in the movies here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC_2ZlBCREE