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The Stuart and Mimi Rose Collection /

J. R. R. Tolkien

Item 10B

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

1953, 1954, 1955
Galley Proofs
Corrected by the Author

These volumes form an extraordinary record of the creation of one of the greatest fantasy epics of the 20th century, The Lord of the Rings. You are looking at galley proofs, the first printed versions of the novels. Each volume contains written annotations by Tolkien’s editors, along with some corrections made by Tolkien himself. He is wrangling with making real on the printed page the complex world he has created—questions about representing runes, questions about how to describe creatures that do not exist. Some of Tolkien’s changes resulted in creating phrases that resonate as iconic today, such as the first lines of The Fellowship of the Ring, changing “…and in the shadows bind them” to “and in the darkness bind them.”

An artistic book cover made of leather showcases an abstract design featuring a purple mountainous background, with intertwining tree-like shapes in various shades of brown and beige. The lower portion has textured, stone-like elements with faint, wavy patterns on a purple backdrop.
An open book displays the famous poem about the One Ring with the title
A detailed map titled
Close-up of an open book showing a thick stack of pages. The top page has printed text in English and handwritten script in an unknown language. The printed text includes

What will you discover next?

L. Frank Baum The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Detail from an illustration of a girl with long, braided hair gazing at a sunset over a field.

Another story set in a fantastical imaginary world?

Go To Item 4B

An Early Printed Haggadah
A close-up photo of an old manuscript written in a Semitic script, likely Hebrew or Aramaic. The text is densely packed with dark ink on aged paper, showing signs of wear and slight discoloration. One line of text is in bold, standing out from the rest. The background is slightly blurred.

A religious book documenting exile and faith?

Go To Item 11B

Return to Rose Collection
A vibrant, symmetrical collage features historical black-and-white photographs of three individuals encircled with colorful floral patterns. The background is filled with intricate designs of butterflies and geometric shapes in shades of teal, coral, and beige.

Return to the Rose Collection

Visit the Folger to see this object on exhibit

Imprints in Time

Imprints in Time

This special exhibition at the Folger features rare books from the collection of Stuart and Mimi Rose that present literary, cultural, and historical high points.
Fri, Jun 21, 2024 – Sun, Jan 5, 2025
Plan your visit
Rose Exhibition Hall