The Reader's Union edition of J.R.R Tolkien's renowned Lord of the Rings series is somewhat of an oddity so I have decided to dedicate a brief post to this rare set. Estimated to have been printed to just 3,000 sets, the RU set was printed in 1960 - just five years after the books were first published.
With a distinctive illustrations of Sauron's eye, drawn by Tokien himself, this set was never released to the public and was purchasable only through membership of the RU. Inside, the book is almost exactly the same as the original first editions, with a very similar title page and a fold-out map tipped in at the rear of each volume.
A complete set has been sold in excellent condition at Bonhams for £375 but usually they reach only £125-£150. The original first edition set printed at the same time (1960) might reach between £200 and £250.
For more J.R.R Tolkien blog posts see the links below:
Values and guide to all of Tolkien's works
http://anantiquebooksguide.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/the-tolkien-guide-values-info-and-more.html
The art of Tolkien
The art of Tolkien
http://anantiquebooksguide.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-art-of-jrr-tolkien-hobbit-and-more.html
Below are a number of photos showing the Reader's Union set compared with the George Allen & Unwin original sets.
RU set:
Original first edition set:
If you reached this far, thanks for reading and please share/ +1 and comment if at all possible!
Take a look at my many other blog posts for more antique books.
Take a look at my many other blog posts for more antique books.
