Railway Books & Great Western Models from the Library of Michael H.R. Tolkien

Four Inscribed Railway Volumes & Two Vintage GWR Model Locomotives (with Tolkien Family Annotations)

A highly unusual and cohesive Tolkien-family provenance group: four railway books associated with Michael Hilary Reuel Tolkien (1920–1984), eldest son of J.R.R. Tolkien, together with two Great Western Railway model locomotives in their original boxes, each bearing clear Tolkien-family association. This is not an assembled “theme lot”, but a coherent personal group with dated inscriptions, an ex-libris, and family-gift context.

Family Provenance
The key appeal is the explicit, internally consistent Tolkien family context preserved throughout: a Michael H.R. Tolkien “Ex Libris — M.H.R. Tolkien” (mouse design), multiple dated ownership inscriptions, a recorded gift from his brother John Tolkien, and—among the models—one locomotive signed by Michael H.R. Tolkien and a second identified by a handwritten label in the hand of Joan Tolkien (Michael’s wife). The inscriptions were made on different occasions, reinforcing the personal, “lived-in” nature of the group rather than a later staged signing.

The Books (4)

1. Sam Fay — A Royal Road (1883)
Full title: A Royal Road: Being the History of the London & South Western Railway, from 1825 to the present time.
Publication: Kingston-on-Thames: Printed by W. Drewett, Market Place, 1883 (“All rights reserved.”).
Original deep blue cloth, gilt design and lettering to upper board and spine (as photographed). Illustrated with plates/engravings (including, for example, “Waterloo Station and Engine House, 1848”, as pictured).

Provenance: Signed/owned by Michael H.R. Tolkien (visible ownership signature on the title/half-title area in the photo set).
Condition: Good to very good: typical age-toning and light spotting/foxing as shown; sound copy overall.

2. Brian Hollingsworth — Great Western Adventure (1981)
David & Charles Publishers Limited, 1981. ISBN: 0-7133-8106-3. Illustrated throughout.

Provenance: Michael H.R. Tolkien’s “Ex Libris — M.H.R. Tolkien” bookplate (mouse design) to the front pastedown. Above it, a neat ink inscription reads: “Michael H.R. Tolkien — CLITHEROE — December 4th, 1981” (as photographed).
Condition: Very good: light handling wear only; clean in the images provided.

3. L.M. Pacifics — A Pictorial Tribute (Roundhouse Books, 1967)
Roundhouse Books, 1967. In dust jacket. Imprint note reads: “Printed in Great Britain by Hazell Watson & Viney Ltd, Aylesbury, Bucks for Roundhouse Books, Grey Lodge, Cornwall Road, Hatch End, Middlesex.” (as photographed).

Provenance: Ownership/presentation inscription in Michael’s hand: “Michael H.R. Tolkien — STONYHURST — Christmas, 1970”, with the family note “(from John)” — i.e., a gift from his brother John Tolkien (as photographed).
Condition: Jacket shows edgewear and losses/tears at extremities as photographed; contents appear clean.

4. Brian Stephenson & Patrick Russell — Specials in Steam (Ian Allan, 1968/1969)
Ian Allan (London). Copyright page notes: First published 1968; Second impression 1969 (as photographed). Illustrated throughout with photographic plates.

Provenance: Ownership/presentation inscription in Michael’s hand: “Michael H.R. Tolkien — STONYHURST — July 27th, 1971” (as photographed).
Condition: Very good: light wear consistent with use; clean in the images provided.

The Model Locomotives (2)

Two Great Western Railway model locomotives with Tolkien family provenance (with original boxes)
Two vintage Great Western Railway steam locomotive models in green GWR livery, each retained in its original illustrated box, preserved together with the railway books from the library of Michael H.R. Tolkien. Both boxes retain Tolkien-family handwritten annotations, labels, and identification notes which form an essential part of the provenance (see photographs).

Model 1 — GWR kit-built locomotive & tender (K’s Models; red box, as found)
Housed in a red illustrated K’s kit box printed “GWR 28XX 2-8-0 KIT” (as photographed).
Present with the box is a separate handwritten paper label reading: “Body only — G.W.R. 63xx Class Mogul 2-6-0 Locomotive and Tender Kit”, together with additional handwritten price and date notations. A small slip bearing the handwritten note “For Joan T.” is also retained with the box, indicating direct family use and identification by Joan Tolkien (wife of Michael H.R. Tolkien).

The assembled locomotive displayed with the box appears consistent with a 2-6-0 Mogul-type configuration rather than a 2-8-0, indicating a historical box and label mismatch. The model, tender, box, and associated handwritten labels are therefore catalogued exactly as found, preserving the original Tolkien family storage and identification context without later rationalisation.

Model 2 — G.W.R. “City” Class 4-4-0 Express Passenger Engine (with tender) — “City of Hereford”
Retained in its original orange illustrated box, printed “G.W.R. ‘CITY’ CLASS 4-4-0 EXPRESS PASSENGER ENGINE” (as photographed).
The box lid bears clear Tolkien-family identification in ink, including “M.H.R. Tolkien” and “City of Hereford”, together with a dated notation (appears to read “11/10/81”; see photographs).

The locomotive itself carries the cabside number 3715, consistent with the City of Hereford identification written on the box, confirming that the model and its box belong together within the Tolkien family grouping.

Tolkien family provenance (models):
Taken together, the two locomotives document direct, practical Tolkien family ownership, with handwritten identification by Michael H.R. Tolkien and associated labels and notes by Joan Tolkien. These annotations are functional rather than decorative, reinforcing the authentic, lived-in character of the collection rather than a later-assembled display grouping.

Condition (models):
Models appear complete and well preserved in the photographs supplied. Original boxes show expected age-related wear, edge losses, and handling consistent with long-term family storage. No mechanical or operational testing has been undertaken.

Condition Summary

Overall Very Good across the group. The nineteenth-century volume shows expected age-toning and light spotting; the later books present with light handling wear. Boxes show normal period wear. The strength of the lot lies in the documented Tolkien family context preserved across multiple, independent provenance markers.

A unique Tolkien-family railway group: four inscribed books plus two Great Western models with direct Michael and Joan Tolkien associations.

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