The Return of the King — First Edition, Third Impression, 1957

First UK Edition, Third Impression — 1957

Published by George Allen & Unwin, London, this is the third impression of the first edition of The Return of the King, the concluding volume of The Lord of the Rings. The copyright page records “Third Impression, January 1957”; this impression was first available in February 1957.

The volume contains 416 pages, including the extensive Appendices covering histories and genealogies, the chronology of the Third Age, calendars, writing systems and the languages of Middle-earth.

Printing and Production

Printed by Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich, in 11 on 12 point Imprint type. The printing order was for 3,500 copies, all for Allen & Unwin, with none exported for Houghton Mifflin’s American issue. The recorded binding batches comprised 2,000 copies bound by Jarrold in February 1957 and a further 1,486 in October 1957.

Original Binding, Map and Facsimile Jacket

In the publisher’s original red cloth, with gilt spine lettering and Ring device, and a red top edge. Runic borders frame the title-page opening. Christopher Tolkien’s folding map of Gondor, Rohan and Mordor, printed in red and black, is retained at the rear.

A modern facsimile of the Ring-and-Eye dust jacket accompanies the volume for protection and presentation. No original dust jacket is present. The facsimile is a reproduction rather than an original 1957 jacket; its two photographs appear after the book and interior views.

Condition

The red cloth shows considerable surface rubbing and scuffing, with scattered pale marks, uneven colour and a conspicuous pale circular mark near the upper edge of the front board. The spine is faded, and the gilt lettering and Ring device are heavily dulled and rubbed. The spine ends, joints, edges and corners are worn, with small areas of fraying at the spine ends, particularly at the foot.

The page edges are lightly toned. The photographed endpapers and text openings are generally clean, with light toning and a few small marks. A pencil notation is present near the top of the front free endpaper. The folding map remains attached at the rear and is shown folded in the photographs. The modern facsimile jacket is protected by a clear sleeve.

A third-impression Return of the King in its original cloth, retaining the folding map, with the exterior wear described above and a protective facsimile jacket.

Bibliographical reference: Wayne G. Hammond and Douglas A. Anderson, J.R.R. Tolkien: A Descriptive Bibliography, pp. 85–99.

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