J.R.R. Tolkien

A first edition, first impression set of The Lord of The Rings.

• Sold as a set of 3 volumes.
• J.R.R. Tolkien (English).
• London: Allen & Unwin, 1954-1955.
• Octavos.
• Bound in red cloth, presented in the original dust jackets.

What makes this set particularly remarkable is its provenance. It was previously owned by Margaret Bennet-Clark (later Carey), who worked in a senior role at the British Museum—a short walk from the offices of the publisher, Allen & Unwin. Each volume bears her neatly inscribed name alongside the month and year of its publication, with The Two Towers also dated "22.11.1954," just under two weeks after its release. This consistency strongly suggests that Bennet-Clark purchased each book upon publication and inscribed them at the time. It would be highly unusual to later inscribe a name and publication date to match the original release months. This provenance supports the extraordinary likelihood that this set has remained together since day one—a nearly unparalleled rarity among Tolkien first editions.

First edition, first impression sets of The Lord of the Rings are famously scarce. The trilogy was published over a 15-month period, with no more than 3,000 complete sets available once The Return of the King was released. Over the decades, most sets have been "assembled" by collectors swapping in individual volumes to create the best possible condition. Truly original sets, like this one, are vanishingly rare—arguably as rare as Tolkien’s One Ring itself.

Given the proximity of Allen & Unwin’s office and bookshop at 40 Museum Street to the British Museum, it is highly likely that Bennet-Clark purchased each volume directly from the publisher. This connection adds further intrigue and historical value to an already exceptional set.

Margaret Bennet-Clark (later Carey)