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J.R.R. Tolkien. Farmer Giles of Ham. George Allen and Unwin, Ltd., 1949....
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Description
The dedication copy, inscribed and with a letter presenting this very copy
J.R.R. Tolkien. Farmer Giles of Ham. George Allen and
Unwin, Ltd., 1949.8vo. Publisher's light orange textured paper over boards, stamped in blue. Illustrated endpapers and in-text illustrations by Pauline Diana Baynes. Original illustrated dust jacket, also by Baynes. Quarter morocco folding case.
FIRST EDITION, THE DEDICATION COPY. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY TOLKIEN TO THE DEDICATEE on the front free endpaper: "C.H. Wilkinson / with best / wishes / from / J.R.R.T." With an autograph letter signed ("JRR Tolkien"), presenting this, the dedication copy, to "My dear Wilkinson."
Cyril Hackett Wilkinson (1888-1960) held many positions at Worcester College, Oxford University, among them English tutor, College Librarian, and "The Dean" of Worcester College. He attended the college as an undergraduate, where he was a member of the Lovelace Club. Through Wilkinson's patronage of the club as Dean and Librarian, he invited Tolkien to speak at a meeting on 14 February 1938. Tolkien broke from tradition, and rather than read "a paper 'on' fairy stories," he read an expanded version of Farmer Giles to the club, much to their delight. He wrote to his publishers: "I was very much surprised at the result. It took nearly twice as long as a proper 'paper' to read aloud; and the audience was apparently not bored - indeed they were generally convulsed with mirth." (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (1981), letter 31, p. 39).
Though the story originated as a tale told to his young children in the 1920s, and Tolkien read an expanded version to the Lovelace Club in 1938, Farmer Giles of Ham was not published until 1949. Before publication, Tolkien wrote to the publisher Allen & Unwin on 5 July 1947: "I think it might be as well to emphasize the fact that this is a tale specially composed for reading aloud: it goes very well so, for those that like this kind of thing at all. It was, in fact, written to order, to be read to the Lovelace Society at Worcester College; and was read to them at a sitting. For that reason I should like to put an inscription to C. H. Wilkinson on a fly-leaf, since it was Col. Wilkinson of that College who egged me to it, and has since constantly egged me to publication." (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (1981), letter 108, p. 119).
In presenting the present copy of this book to its dedicatee, Tolkien writes in the accompanying letter: "...In the meantime the slender book after endless delays has come at last to light, and since you allowed me to dedicate it to you in memory of a very pleasant evening (and of your own urging of publication), I hope you will also accept this copy. Very sincerely, JRR Tolkien."
Condition: Touch of edgewear to cloth. Dust jacket price-clipped, somewhat scuffed, minor edgewear and a few chips.
References: Hammond & Anderson A4a.
Provenance: C.H. Wilkinson (presentation inscription); Sotheby's, December 4, 1975, lot 32, buyer: Quaritch; acquired from George Robert Minkoff, Inc., Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 1976. From the William A. Strutz Library.
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Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
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June, 2024
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