First Thus, i.e. with Alan Lee's illustrations, first printing. 1200pp, with 50 full colour illustrations specially commissioned from the artist Alan Lee to commemorate the centenary of J R R Tolkien's birth, and includes Tolkien's maps of Middle Earth and appendices. In brown cloth boards with gilt motif on front and gilt lettering on spine. Fawn endpapers, red satin ribbon marker bound in. Boards are strong, square, smooth-edges and clean). There are a couple of tiny flecks on the text block fore edge. Previous owner's gift inscription on the front free endpaper. In its original dust jacket (a little shelf wear, lightly bumped along upper edge with a little run and chip at top of spine, lightly bumped at base of spine. The dust jacket is now protected in an archival quality Mylar wrapper, fitted without the use of tape or adhesives. A stunning volume issued to mark the centenary of Tolkien's birth in 1892.
