Pre-publication copy of the first British edition, bound in wrappers and in a proof dust jacket. The first and only copy that bibliographer Wayne Hammond had seen. We can locate just one other copy in the auction record, which was miscataloged as a normal first edition. A 1967 publisher circular announcing the later publication of the book is laid in.
Publisher and Year: London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1968 [but possibly 1967]
Edition: Pre-publication copy of the first British edition, bound in wrappers rather than the paper-covered boards used for the retail publication that was issued on 14 March 1968. In its original proof dust jacket. We consulted Tolkien bibliographer Wayne Hammond, who stated that he had never seen such a copy and believes it must have been for advance review. An extensive review of the auction record located just one other copy, which had been miscataloged as a normal first edition.
The text of this copy is identical to the first British edition. However, the proof dust jacket differs in two ways. First, the front flap advertises that the companion record could be purchased “for 38s”, which was removed for the first edition. The price removal likely reflects protracted royalty issues that date to 24 November 1967 at the latest, which is around the time it was decided that publication would be delayed until March rather than “just after Christmas,” as had been planned. Ultimately, the record was not even pressed until two weeks after the book’s publication, not issued until later that spring, and priced at 42s 8d. Second, the printed design of the jacket is shifted upward by 2/16”, such that the horizontal red rule on the left does not strike the bottom edge like it does in the first edition. The other copy we located had the same upward shift in printing registration, but we were unable to obtain an image of the jacket flap for comparison.
Of note, the dust jacket is about 5/16” taller than the wrappers. This is because the wrappers were trimmed to the height of the leaves (11”), whereas the dust jacket was cut to the height of the boards used for the first edition (11 5/16”). This sizing mismatch has also been observed in the two proof copies of Tree and Leaf.
It is unclear when the present copy was produced and distributed, as relevant publisher records are not present in the Allen and Unwin archives at Reading University.
However, the removal of the “38s” price of the companion record suggests that it could have been produced in the fall of 1967, perhaps before the significance of the royalty issues concerning the record became fully understood in November of that year. Moreover, the final retail price of “42s 6d” suggests that the “38s” price was obsolete for some time, as the magnitude of the increase was not entirely trivial (~12%).
The presence of the laid-in publisher circular likewise suggests that this copy was printed in October or November, as it announces Smith of Wootton Major as an upcoming release on 9 Nov 1967. That circular advertises The Road Goes Ever On as a title that would be released “shortly after Christmas.” This would explain why the present copy has a copyright date of 1968, the anticipated release year, even though it may have been produced before the new year. Assuming that the circular and book are contemporaneous, the printing of this copy would have been just before or around the 31 October release of the first American edition. That said, we cannot rule out that the circular predates the book and was laid in later.
Nevertheless, dating this copy is speculative, and it is possible that it was produced shortly before publication in March 1968.
(Hammond B28b; other references listed below)
Condition and Description: Quarto, paper wrappers lettered in red, 68 pp. Clean and well-bound. Pencil note (“V1/-”) present on the final leaf, else clear. Proof dust jacket with creasing and short closed tears to the top edge, a consequence of the paper exceeding the height of the wrappers. Lower portion of the front jacket flap has two instances of erased pencil, consisting of “10/-” and an “X” over the book price (30s). Housed in archival mylar. The publisher circular is folded horizontally and vertically and has mild handling wear.
“The Road goes ever on and on / Down from the door where it began. / Now far ahead the Road has gone, / And I must follow, if I can, / Pursuing it with eager feet…”
References & Notes
Private correspondence with Wayne Hammond, cited with permission.
Scull and Hammond, 2006. The J.R.R. Tolkien Guide and Companion. pp. 630-724. Covers the inception, publication history, and royalty issues related to the companion record.
Catalog of Thomson Roddick Auctioneers & Valuers, 27 Jun 2018. The Road Goes Ever On appears in Lot 6. Like the present example, it was bound in wrappers and retained a dust jacket with the same upward shift in registration. It was miscataloged as a normal first edition and went unsold. We were unable to contact the consignor.
Thompson, George H. (Autumn 1986). "Early Review of Books by J. R. R. Tolkien". Mythlore. 13 (1). East Lansing, Michigan: Mythopoeic Society: 54–59. JSTOR 26812921. The pressing of the companion record is listed as 28 March 1968.
Woods, Frederick (May 1968). "Tolkien. Poems and Songs of Middle Earth.” J. R. R. Tolkien (reader, a), William Elvin (baritone, b), Donald Swann (piano, b). Caedmon TC1231 (12 in., 42s. 8d)
Inventory ID: 415 - 945 - 130
Pre-publication copy of the first British edition, bound in wrappers and in a proof dust jacket. The first and only copy that bibliographer Wayne Hammond had seen. We can locate just one other copy in the auction record, which was miscataloged as a normal first edition. A 1967 publisher circular announcing the later publication of the book is laid in.
Publisher and Year: London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1968 [but possibly 1967]
Edition: Pre-publication copy of the first British edition, bound in wrappers rather than the paper-covered boards used for the retail publication that was issued on 14 March 1968. In its original proof dust jacket. We consulted Tolkien bibliographer Wayne Hammond, who stated that he had never seen such a copy and believes it must have been for advance review. An extensive review of the auction record located just one other copy, which had been miscataloged as a normal first edition.
The text of this copy is identical to the first British edition. However, the proof dust jacket differs in two ways. First, the front flap advertises that the companion record could be purchased “for 38s”, which was removed for the first edition. The price removal likely reflects protracted royalty issues that date to 24 November 1967 at the latest, which is around the time it was decided that publication would be delayed until March rather than “just after Christmas,” as had been planned. Ultimately, the record was not even pressed until two weeks after the book’s publication, not issued until later that spring, and priced at 42s 8d. Second, the printed design of the jacket is shifted upward by 2/16”, such that the horizontal red rule on the left does not strike the bottom edge like it does in the first edition. The other copy we located had the same upward shift in printing registration, but we were unable to obtain an image of the jacket flap for comparison.
Of note, the dust jacket is about 5/16” taller than the wrappers. This is because the wrappers were trimmed to the height of the leaves (11”), whereas the dust jacket was cut to the height of the boards used for the first edition (11 5/16”). This sizing mismatch has also been observed in the two proof copies of Tree and Leaf.
It is unclear when the present copy was produced and distributed, as relevant publisher records are not present in the Allen and Unwin archives at Reading University.
However, the removal of the “38s” price of the companion record suggests that it could have been produced in the fall of 1967, perhaps before the significance of the royalty issues concerning the record became fully understood in November of that year. Moreover, the final retail price of “42s 6d” suggests that the “38s” price was obsolete for some time, as the magnitude of the increase was not entirely trivial (~12%).
The presence of the laid-in publisher circular likewise suggests that this copy was printed in October or November, as it announces Smith of Wootton Major as an upcoming release on 9 Nov 1967. That circular advertises The Road Goes Ever On as a title that would be released “shortly after Christmas.” This would explain why the present copy has a copyright date of 1968, the anticipated release year, even though it may have been produced before the new year. Assuming that the circular and book are contemporaneous, the printing of this copy would have been just before or around the 31 October release of the first American edition. That said, we cannot rule out that the circular predates the book and was laid in later.
Nevertheless, dating this copy is speculative, and it is possible that it was produced shortly before publication in March 1968.
(Hammond B28b; other references listed below)
Condition and Description: Quarto, paper wrappers lettered in red, 68 pp. Clean and well-bound. Pencil note (“V1/-”) present on the final leaf, else clear. Proof dust jacket with creasing and short closed tears to the top edge, a consequence of the paper exceeding the height of the wrappers. Lower portion of the front jacket flap has two instances of erased pencil, consisting of “10/-” and an “X” over the book price (30s). Housed in archival mylar. The publisher circular is folded horizontally and vertically and has mild handling wear.
“The Road goes ever on and on / Down from the door where it began. / Now far ahead the Road has gone, / And I must follow, if I can, / Pursuing it with eager feet…”
References & Notes
Private correspondence with Wayne Hammond, cited with permission.
Scull and Hammond, 2006. The J.R.R. Tolkien Guide and Companion. pp. 630-724. Covers the inception, publication history, and royalty issues related to the companion record.
Catalog of Thomson Roddick Auctioneers & Valuers, 27 Jun 2018. The Road Goes Ever On appears in Lot 6. Like the present example, it was bound in wrappers and retained a dust jacket with the same upward shift in registration. It was miscataloged as a normal first edition and went unsold. We were unable to contact the consignor.
Thompson, George H. (Autumn 1986). "Early Review of Books by J. R. R. Tolkien". Mythlore. 13 (1). East Lansing, Michigan: Mythopoeic Society: 54–59. JSTOR 26812921. The pressing of the companion record is listed as 28 March 1968.
Woods, Frederick (May 1968). "Tolkien. Poems and Songs of Middle Earth.” J. R. R. Tolkien (reader, a), William Elvin (baritone, b), Donald Swann (piano, b). Caedmon TC1231 (12 in., 42s. 8d)
Inventory ID: 415 - 945 - 130
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