J.R.R. Tolkien – The Lord of the Rings – First Ballantine Books Boxed Set, complete in slipcase (October, November & December 1965 first printings).

A complete and increasingly scarce first-printing Ballantine Books boxed set of The Lord of the Rings, issued in 1965 with the iconic Barbara Remington cover art and the original illustrated slipcase.

This is the famous first authorised U.S. paperback boxed set of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, published by Ballantine Books in 1965 and housed in the original publisher’s slipcase. The set contains all three parts of the trilogy, each in its correct early Ballantine paperback form with the classic and much-loved Barbara Remington cover illustrations.

The three books are all present here as first printings, with the dates visible on the copyright pages:
– The Fellowship of the Ring – First Printing: October, 1965
– The Two Towers – First Printing: November, 1965
– The Return of the King – First Printing: December, 1965

All three volumes retain their original covers, with the familiar printed statement on the back panel confirming Tolkien’s authorised Ballantine paperback edition. The books are housed in the original cream-coloured slipcase, printed in red and black and decorated with matching Barbara Remington artwork. The case still shows the original printed/label price of $2.85.

Contents
– The Fellowship of the Ring (Part One)
– The Two Towers (Part Two)
– The Return of the King (Part Three)

Condition
A well-preserved and honest early set, showing age and use, but complete and attractive overall.

The slipcase shows rubbing, light soiling and general shelf wear, with some wear at edges and corners. It remains sound and presents well. The books themselves show the usual age-toning to the paper, light rubbing and handling wear, but remain structurally solid and complete. The text blocks have toned as expected. There are pencil owner inscriptions / price notes on some of the preliminary pages, which should be noted, and these are visible in the photographs. One volume also shows a little creasing and wear to the cover surface, as is common with these fragile early Ballantine paperbacks.

A very desirable complete example of the first Ballantine Books boxed issue of The Lord of the Rings — an important Tolkien collectible, and one of the most iconic paperback fantasy sets ever produced.

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