The 30 Minute Rule begins January 8 at 7:00 PM EST. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By January 8 at 6:00 PM EST To Participate After 6:00 PM EST
Signed book: The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle. First UK edition. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1968. Hardcover with dust jacket, 8.75 x 11.25, 68 pages. Signed and inscribed on the first free end page in fountain pen to his friend Margaret Wiseman, "Margaret from Ronald, J.R.R. Tolkien." Autographic condition: fine, with scattered light foxing, a small stain, and a couple of small notations to the signed page. Book condition: VG-/VG-, with scattered foxing to textblock (heaviest to title page), an Oulton Abbey bookplate affixed to the front pastedown, a two-inch tear to the top of the dust jacket (amongst several smaller nicks and tears), a few small stains to the jacket, and shelf numbers inked on the spine.
Margaret Wiseman, the sister of Tolkien's school friend Christopher Wiseman, was a Benedictine nun at Oulton Abbey; though little is known of their relationship, Tolkien presented her with inscribed copies of his works over a span of more than thirty years, favoring her with the scarce variant of his signature—"Ronald"—that he reserved for close friends and family.
In 'Priests, Prophets, and Kings: Ecclesiology in Newman and Tolkien,' John Kezel writes of the friendship between Tolkien and the Wisemans: 'The youthful Tolkien belonged to a group known as the TCBS, initials that stand for Tea Club, Barrovian Society. This club, composed of students from King Edward's School, the exclusive public school that Tolkien attended, used to meet in the Tea Room of Barrows Store in Birmingham. Eventually the club centered on four major members, each of whom brought a specialization: Christopher Wiseman, the expert on music and natural sciences…Tolkien, called John Ronald, versed in Germanic languages and philology. Tolkien was the only Catholic in the group, but all four young men hoped to contribute to a moral and cultural renewal in England… By the war's end, only Tolkien and Christopher Wiseman remained alive. Wiseman wrote to his friend, 'You ought to start the epic'; but for the most part, he does not play a significant role in Tolkien's literary career. Ironically, his sister Margaret does; she became a Catholic and a Benedictine nun, Mother Mary St. John, at Oulton Abbey from where she encouraged him with her prayers.'
The Road Goes Ever On is a collection of walking songs and poetry from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and related works, featuring poems in Tolkien's invented languages alongside English translations, paired with music by Donald Swann. The book provides deeper insight into the lore of Middle-earth, showcasing Tolkien's linguistic creativity and the themes of adventure, journey, and the passage of time. It remains a beloved companion to Tolkien’s novels and a treasure for fans of his literary world.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
