J.R.R. Tolkien – The Lord of the Rings – 1963 Deluxe Edition in Pauline Baynes Slipcase

The True 1963 Deluxe Issue – Black Buckram, Gilt Edges, Ribbon Markers – Original Pauline Baynes Triptych Slipcase

This is the genuine early 1963 Deluxe Edition of The Lord of the Rings, published by George Allen & Unwin and housed in the iconic Pauline Baynes illustrated slipcase. These deluxe sets were produced in small numbers and are now among the scarcest and most desirable of all original Tolkien editions.

The set contains the three volumes in their correct 1963 deluxe configuration:

The Fellowship of the Ring – 13th Impression (1963)
The Two Towers – 10th Impression (1963)
The Return of the King – 10th Impression (1963)

This matches exactly the bibliographical description of the 1963 Deluxe Edition (cf. TolkienBooks.net, ID 1176). All three volumes are bound in the publisher’s original black buckram deluxe binding with bevelled boards, bright gilt lettering to the spines, gilt page edges, and the original silk ribbon markers sewn in.

Condition of the Books

The books are in Very Good condition. Gilt page edges show some rubbing and light marks, as is typical for this edition. The black buckram cloth remains clean and bright with square, tight bindings. Interiors are exceptionally clean with no inscriptions, no foxing, and no defects. The spine of The Two Towers shows the characteristic lightened tone often associated with this edition; this is a well-known manufacturing and materials issue and is almost universal to the TT volume. In this set the fading is milder than usual, though small bumps and edge wear are present.

Pauline Baynes Slipcase

The set is housed in the original 1963 Pauline Baynes “triptych” slipcase, featuring a panoramic colour design of Middle-earth. The slipcase shows expected rubbing, scuffing, and edge wear but remains solid, complete, and far better preserved than most surviving examples. Due to the fragility of the materials, intact slipcases have become exceptionally scarce.

First mentioned briefly in Hammond & Anderson (p. 98), this deluxe slipcased set is widely regarded as one of the most attractive and important Tolkien presentations issued during the author’s lifetime.

An outstanding example of the rare 1963 Deluxe Edition — complete, original, and increasingly difficult to obtain in collectible condition.

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