Darren Sutherland
Specialist
Literature
Lot 152
TOLKIEN ON THE TWO TOWERS AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS. TOLKIEN, J.R.R. 1892-1973. Autograph Letter Signed ("J.R.R. Tolkien") to Miss F.L. Perry expressing his fears for the reception of The Two Towers,
22 June 2023, 12:00 EDT
New YorkSold for US$19,200 inc. premium
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TOLKIEN ON THE TWO TOWERS AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
TOLKIEN, J.R.R. 1892-1973. Autograph Letter Signed ("J.R.R. Tolkien") to Miss F.L. Perry expressing his fears for the reception of The Two Towers, 4 pp, 170 x 132 mm, 76 Sandfield Road stationery, November 22, 1954, old folds, light staining.
A REMARKABLE TOLKIEN LETTER EXPRESSING CONCERN UPON PUBLICATION OF THE TWO TOWERS. A nervous Tolkien had written to Miss Perry about her thoughts on The Two Towers, and notes that he had been "anxious about one or two points: especially about the return of Gandalf; and generally: whether my friends would feel a falling off on a failure of their expectations; or feel they had had enough after the novelty wore off, and perhaps regret the decrease in hobbitry and elvishness: as the darkness increase and war and terror come out of the East."
Her enthusiasm for the work had apparently eased his mind, and he continues discussing his work on the Chronicles, concluding with an observation on the foundational theme of The Lord of the Rings. Discussing a treasured long narrative poem on the Battle of Malvern, he writes that it "is really on the theme which has always engrossed me and is the foundation of The Lord of the Rings: the noble and the ignoble. For hobbitry, you have the plain farmer-soldiers; for the chivalry, a young minstrel or poet...."
Miss F.L. Perry was the first fan to send Tolkien a letter regarding the new book The Lord of the Rings, the sequel to The Hobbit, as he wrote to her in a letter dated August 6, 1954.
Tolkien enjoyed receiving letters from enthusiastic fans at the time and did not find replying to be a burden (see Hammond & Scull, A Tolkien Companion and Guide, 2006, p 437). Tolkien and Miss Perry exchanged a number of letters documenting his feelings during publication, and continued correspondence until at least 1961. He clearly valued her opinion. See lots 150-153 in this sale.
A REMARKABLE TOLKIEN LETTER EXPRESSING CONCERN UPON PUBLICATION OF THE TWO TOWERS. A nervous Tolkien had written to Miss Perry about her thoughts on The Two Towers, and notes that he had been "anxious about one or two points: especially about the return of Gandalf; and generally: whether my friends would feel a falling off on a failure of their expectations; or feel they had had enough after the novelty wore off, and perhaps regret the decrease in hobbitry and elvishness: as the darkness increase and war and terror come out of the East."
Her enthusiasm for the work had apparently eased his mind, and he continues discussing his work on the Chronicles, concluding with an observation on the foundational theme of The Lord of the Rings. Discussing a treasured long narrative poem on the Battle of Malvern, he writes that it "is really on the theme which has always engrossed me and is the foundation of The Lord of the Rings: the noble and the ignoble. For hobbitry, you have the plain farmer-soldiers; for the chivalry, a young minstrel or poet...."
Miss F.L. Perry was the first fan to send Tolkien a letter regarding the new book The Lord of the Rings, the sequel to The Hobbit, as he wrote to her in a letter dated August 6, 1954.
Tolkien enjoyed receiving letters from enthusiastic fans at the time and did not find replying to be a burden (see Hammond & Scull, A Tolkien Companion and Guide, 2006, p 437). Tolkien and Miss Perry exchanged a number of letters documenting his feelings during publication, and continued correspondence until at least 1961. He clearly valued her opinion. See lots 150-153 in this sale.