J.R.R. Tolkien's Original Cover Designs for The Lord of the Rings Revealed
Original book cover designs by J.R.R. Tolkien for each volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy have been brought to light. The author, renowned for his literary creation, also produced over 100 illustrations for The Hobbit, with one adorning the 2011 HarperCollins 75th anniversary edition. The cover designs feature intricate elements: The Fellowship of the Ring displays the eye of Sauron encircled by elvish runes and topped by the One Ring, a sigil that appeared on the minimalist covers of the first edition of the trilogy. The artwork was comprehensively examined in the 1995 monograph 'J.R.R. Tolkien Artist & Illustrator,' covering more than 60 years of his artistic output. A Flickr compendium also showcases a collection of Tolkien's illustrations. The publication history of the trilogy is complex, and it remains unclear whether these designs were used on books during Tolkien's lifetime. The designs were featured in a previous Open Culture post from 2013. The author, Josh Jones, is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC.
Key facts
- J.R.R. Tolkien created original cover designs for each book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- The Fellowship of the Ring design features the eye of Sauron surrounded by elvish runes and topped by the One Ring.
- The sigil from the design appeared on the covers of the first edition of the trilogy.
- Tolkien left behind over 100 illustrations for The Hobbit.
- One of Tolkien's Hobbit illustrations adorns the 2011 HarperCollins 75th anniversary edition.
- Tolkien's artwork was the subject of the 1995 monograph 'J.R.R. Tolkien Artist & Illustrator'.
- The monograph covers over 60 years of Tolkien's life as an artist.
- A Flickr compendium of Tolkien illustrations is available online.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- HarperCollins
Locations
- Durham
- NC