Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien Authorized Edition PB Box Set 1966

Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien Authorized Edition PB Box Set 1966

$199.00

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Publisher: Ballantine Books, NY, 1966
Binding: Soctcover
Condition: Very Good
Size: 4to
Attributes:

Rare complete Box Set of the First Authorized edition of The Lord of the Rings, in original box original artwork. Later editions has a new artwork for the Box while maintaining the cover’s artwork and addition of Ballantine’s logo on vol. 2 and vol. 3 covers.
An attractive early edition of the Authorized Box Set:

Vol. 1 (7th printing), cover nearly split at front hinge. Rubbing at spine’s edges, small chip at bottom corner.
Vol. 2 (5th printing), in fine condition.
Vol. 3 (4th printing). an 1″ tear to the bottom of the title page, not affecting text. Else in Near Fine condition.

Binding tight, square, internally fine, unmarked. Box is worn around the edges, tanned. Books square, internally clean & bright, unmarked. All books appear in unread condition. Overall a VG Set.

Out of stock

Description

The 1966 Authorized Paperback Box Set of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is a highly collectible edition that helped popularize Middle-earth in mass-market paperback form. Published by Ballantine Books, this set includes The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King—complete with Tolkien’s original maps and appendices.

Key Features of the 1966 Edition:

First Authorized U.S. Paperback – After Ace Books illegally published an unauthorized version, Tolkien approved this corrected edition, with revised text and his direct involvement.
Iconic Cover Art – Features psychedelic, eye-catching designs by Barbara Remington, though Tolkien himself found them puzzling (they weren’t based on his descriptions).
Cultural Impact – This edition became a staple of 1960s counterculture, cementing LotR as a fantasy phenomenon.