TOLKIEN, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1954-1955. 3 vols. First editions, all volumes signed by Tolkien on the front-free endpapers, 8vo (221 x 137mm.) 3 folding maps to rear. (Browning to endpapers of volume 2, light spotting to endpapers of volumes 1 and 3, toning, the map in 'The Return of the King' replaced with one from a later edition.) Original red cloth (some sunning and staining to spines, lightly bumped spine ends). Note: 'The Fellowship of the Ring' and 'The Two Towers' are second impressions, 'The Return of the King' is a first impression. It has the '4' signature on p.49 and the slipped text. The second impression of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' has always been notably (2 or 3mm) smaller than other impressions. A possible reason is that the printer, Jarrold & Son, did not keep the type standing from the first impression and so when the publisher, Allen & Unwin, asked for another impression the printer had to quickly re-set the type, which led to many new inaccuracies in the text, as well as a slightly different sized binding. [Hammond, 97.].