The Lord of the Rings

Published in 1954-55, this long romance follows the attempt to destroy the One Ring, a weapon of the Dark Lord Sauron, by carrying it from the Shire into Mordor. Frodo Baggins, the hobbit bearer, is aided by the gardener Sam, the wizard Gandalf, the men Aragorn and Boromir, the elf Legolas, the dwarf Gimli, and Frodo's kinsmen Merry and Pippin. The company splits; war gathers in Rohan and Gondor while a smaller pair push toward Mount Doom. The book is a heroic quest across a mapped secondary world, not a single-volume fairy tale.

Quarter-bound in maroon leather with dark blue cloth sides blocked in silver and inset with colour illustration labels. Circular limitation printed letterpress on Tintoretto paper hand tipped within a gold border. Printed in black and burgundy throughout. 57 illustrated chapter openers. Endpapers printed with a colour design by the artist. Silver page tops. Burgundy satin ribbon markers. Two maps printed together in black and red and enclosed in a case covered in maroon blocked cloth. Hand-made dark blue cloth-covered slipcase title blocked on sides in silver and gunmetal with colour printed internal illustration.