List of books in Tolkien's library

From Tolkien Gateway
Eight books from Tolkien's library.jpg

This page is a list of books in Tolkien's library, that is, books and other publications known to have been owned by J.R.R. Tolkien.

After Tolkien’s death in 1973, his library passed to his son and literary executor, Christopher Tolkien. Before moving to France in 1975, Christopher donated some books to Oxford libraries, and others were weeded out and entered the used book market.

A local bookseller bought a large quantity of the books and put stickers with ‘‘From the Library of J.R.R. Tolkien.’’, on many of the unsigned volumes in order to preserve their provenance before selling them off.

Around three hundred volumes were donated to the English Faculty Library and forty-five, were also deposited in the Bodleian Library with Tolkien’s papers. [1]

List of books[edit | edit source]

Altschwedische Grammatik Mit Einschluss des Altgutnischen[edit | edit source]

  • 1904: Altschwedische Grammatik Mit Einschluss des Altgutnischen, by Adolf Noreen. Halle.
  • Description: Original cloth. Signed in ink on the end paper.[2]

Anglo-Catholicism & Re-Union[edit | edit source]

  • 1923: Anglo-Catholicism & Re-Union, by Rev S.H. Scott.
  • Description: Tolkien's inscription on the copy reads:

"given to me by Rev. S H Scott
in the old 'Newman Bookshop'
at that time in Beaumont
Street, Oxford"[3]

The Babylonian Story of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamish[edit | edit source]

Babylonisch-Assyrische Grammatik mit Übungsbuch[edit | edit source]

Cairo Studies in English[edit | edit source]

  • Unknown issue and year of publication. Signed by Tolkien, and appears to have some annotations by him. Held at the collections of the Wade Center.[6]

Chambers's Etymological Dictionary[edit | edit source]

The Children's Treasury of Literature[edit | edit source]

Dictionary in Englysshe and Welshe[edit | edit source]

Diplomatarium Islandicum[edit | edit source]

  • 1857-76: Diplomatarium Islandicum. Islenzkt Bornbrefasafn... Volume One 834 - 1264. Kaupmannohofn.
  • Bound in contemporary half calf. With the bookplate of the historian Charles Plummer, Tolkien's note reads "bt from..." and "by J.R.R. Tolkien" in ink. Loosely inserted are a couple of scraps of paper with notes by Tolkien (see Diplomatarium Islandicum manuscripts).[2]

Die Erforschung der indogermanischen Sprachen[edit | edit source]

  • 1927: Michels, Victor, and Streitberg, Wilhelm. Die Erforschung der indogermanischen Sprachen. Band 2: Germanisch. Berlin and Leipzig: Walter de Gruyter & Co. (Earlier editions by G.J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung; J. Guttentag, Verlagsbuchhandlung; Georg Reimer; Karl J. Trübner; Veit & Comp.) See Cushing Memorial Library and Archives collection.[5]

Germanic Words for 'Deceive'[edit | edit source]

  • 1923: Germanic Words for 'Deceive': A Study in Semantics, by Samuel Kroesch. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Series: Hesperia, Nr. 1.[12][13]
  • Signed, including year "1928".

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Germanic Words for 'Deceive'
 
 

Germanische Heldensage[edit | edit source]

  • Edited by Hermann Schneider.
  • Tolkien's signed copies are now kept in the Taylorian Library at Oxford.[14]

Germanische Sprachwissenschaft[edit | edit source]

  • 1911: Germanische Sprachwissenschaft, by Dr. Richard Loewe. Series: Sammlung Göschen. Leipzig: G.J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung.
  • Description: Signed by Tolkien on the top of the inside front page (J.R.R. Tolkien Exeter Coll) and has the "From the Library of J.R.R. Tolkien" sticker at the bottom left of the inside cover. Several pages with annotations in pencil (in the hand of Tolkien); pages 80, 88, 101. Some small corrections added in black ink on page 133.[15]

Grundzüge der Phonetik zur Einführung in das Studium der Lautlehre der Indogermanischen Sprachen[edit | edit source]

Guinevere: A Study of Her Abductions[edit | edit source]

  • 1951: Guinevere: A Study of Her Abductions, by Kenneth G. T. Webster. Milton, Massachusetts: The Turtle Press.
  • Description: Inscribed on the title page in pen and ink: "Professor Tolkien / from Deborah and Deborah Webster / with our admiration & respect".[16]

Hávarðar saga Ísfirðings[edit | edit source]

Heiðreks Saga[edit | edit source]

Histoire de la Litterature latine chretienne[edit | edit source]

  • 19??: Histoire de la Litterature latine chretienne, by Pierre de Labriolle
  • Description: Signed by Tolkien in pencil to the front free endpaper.[17]

The House of the Wolfings[edit | edit source]

Indogermanische Grammatik[edit | edit source]

  • 1927: Hirt, Hermann. Indogermanische Grammatik: Teil I: Einleitung. I. Etymologie. II. Konsonantismus. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung. See Cushing Memorial Library and Archives collection.
  • 1921: ---. Indogermanische Grammatik: Teil II: Der indogermanische Vokalismus . Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.
  • 1927: ---. Indogermanische Grammatik Teil III: Das Nomen. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.
  • 1928: ---. Indogermanische Grammatik Teil IV: Doppelung Zusammensetzung Verbum. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.
  • 1929: ---. Indogermanische Grammatik Teil V: Der Akzent. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.
  • 1934: ---. Indogermanische Grammatik Teil VI: Syntax 1: Syntaktische Verwendung der Kasus und der Verbalformen. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.
  • 1937: ---. Indogermanische Grammatik: Teil VII: Syntax II: Die Lehre vom einfachen und zusammengesetzen Satz. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.[5]

Indogermanen und Germanen[edit | edit source]

Der Indogermanische Ablaut[edit | edit source]

  • 1900: Hirt, Herman. Der Indogermanische Ablaut, Vornehmlich in Seinem Verhältnis zur Betonung. Strassburg: Karl J. Trubner.
  • The book is a first edition, first impression. The contents are described as a "classic work of Indo-Germanic philology", and has Tolkien's ownership signature to the front free endpaper and his annotations to pages 2, 11, 33, 77, 147, 224. There is also a ticket on the pastedown that states "From the library of J. R. R. Tolkien".[19]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Der Indogermanische Ablaut
 
 

Introduction to Early Welsh[edit | edit source]

  • 1909: Introduction to Early Welsh (Manchester), by John Strachan.
  • Description: In his copy, Tolkien inscribed "1926".[10]

Introduction to Greek Prose Composition with Exercises[edit | edit source]

  • 1902: Introduction to Greek Prose Composition with Exercises, by Arthur Sidgwick.
  • Description: Inscribed by Tolkien with many youthful variants of his signature and accompanying dates.[20]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Introduction to Greek Prose Composition with Exercises
 
 

Les Juifs d'Espagnes[edit | edit source]

  • 1872: Les Juifs d'Espagnes, by Docteur H. Graetz. Paris.
  • Description: Bound in contemporary calf. Signed in pencil on the end paper, with an additional note "purchased at [unreadable...], prob. in 1920s".[2]

Kurze vergleichende Grammatik der indogermanischen Sprachen[edit | edit source]

  • 1904: Kurze vergleichende Grammatik der indogermanischen Sprachen . Auf Grund des fünfbändigen ' Grundrisses der vergleichenden Grammatik der indogermanischen Sprachen von K. Brugmann und B. Delbrück ' verfasst., by Karl Brugmann. Strassburg: Karl J. Trübner, 1904, XXVIII, 777pp., + 48pp.
  • Signed "JRR Tolkien" on flyleaf along with the signatures of other previous and later owners.[21]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Kurze vergleichende Grammatik der indogermanischen Sprachen
 

Latin-English Dictionary[edit | edit source]

  • 1857: William Smith: Latin-English Dictionary: Based Upon the Works of Forcellini and Freund. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street.
  • Description: Inscribed on the title page with "John Ronald Reuel Tolkien" and the initials and date "K.E.S 1908" written underneath.[22][23]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Latin-English Dictionary
 

The Latin Poems Commonly Attributed to Walter Mapes[edit | edit source]

  • 1841-50: Thomas Wright (ed). The Latin Poems Commonly Attributed to Walter Mapes (2 vol.).
  • Description: Each volume signed with Tolkien's name dated 1923 on front fly-leaf.[24]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

 

Laut- und Formenlehre der Altgermanischen Dialekte[edit | edit source]

  • 1898: Bethge, R., Bremer, O., Dieter, F., Hartmann, F., Schlüter. Laut- und Formenlehre der Altgermanischen Dialekte. Zum Gebrauch für Studierende dargestellt. Erster Halbband: Lautlehre des Urgermanischen, Gotischen, Altnordischen, Altenglischen, Altsächsichen und Althochdeutschen. Ed. Ferdinand Dieter. Leipzig: O.R. Reisland. See Cushing Memorial Library and Archives collection.[5]

The Life and Death of Jason[edit | edit source]

  • The Life and Death of Jason, by William Morris.
  • Description: Tolkien bought this book with his Skeat Prize money in Spring 1914.[18]

Medium Ævum[edit | edit source]

  • Medium Ævum, Vol XXXIV, N 2,1963 Basil Blackwell., Oxford.[25]

A Middle English Reader[edit | edit source]

  • 1919: A Middle English Reader by Olver Farrar Emerson.
  • Description: Inside the book is a card from University Press of Oxford that states: "To Professor Tolkien May, 27 1930". On the first page is Tolkien's signature in ink, and some more notes in pencil.[3]

Morphologische Untersuchungen auf dem Gebiete der indogermanischen Sprachen[edit | edit source]

Morte Arthure[edit | edit source]

  • 1871: Morte Arthure, ed. by Edmund Brock, Early English Text Society.
  • Tolkien acquired this book in September 1919.[26]

On the History of the English Present Inflections[edit | edit source]

  • 1922: On the History of the English Present Inflections: Particularly -th and -s, by Erik Holmqvist. Heidelberg: Carl Winter's Universitätsbuchhandlung (Verlags-Nr. 1694). Signed by Tolkien on cover.[27]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of On the History of the English Present Inflections
Cover  
Tolkien's signature  

Den Oldnorske og Oldislandske Litteraturs Historie[edit | edit source]

  • 1920-3: Den Oldnorske og Oldislandske Litteraturs Historie, by Finnur Jónsson. Kobenhavn.
  • Description: Three volumes bound in two in contemporary calf. Each volume is signed twice; once on the front pastedown and once on the verso of the front free end paper.[2]

Pearl[edit | edit source]

  • 1910: Pearl, edited by Charles Osgood. Tolkien inscribed his copy with his name in calligraphy, and in Latin form the date (Easter 1913) and its location in his library.[28]

Phonetische Grundfragen[edit | edit source]

The Poor Hater[edit | edit source]

Portugais; phonétique et phonologie, morphologie, textes[edit | edit source]

  • 1903: Portugais; phonétique et phonologie, morphologie, textes, by Gonçalves Viana, A. R. (Aniceto Reis). Leipzig: B.G. Teubner.[30]
  • "Tolkien bought this from Blackwell's Booksellers in Oxford (their label is on the inside of the cover) to study. As an ex libris Tolkien signed this book at the top of the first page. Inside the books are seven annotations in pencil in the margins (usually corrections!). Tolkien donated this book to the U.S. Catholic University."[31]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Portugais; phonétique et phonologie, morphologie, textes
Cover  
Tolkien's signature  

The Prioress's Tale and The Tale of Sir Thopas[edit | edit source]

  • 1922: Winstanley, Lilian, ed., The Prioress's Tale and The Tale of Sir Thopas (Cambridge). Includes notes by Tolkien.[32]

Probleme der Englischen Sprache und Kultur[edit | edit source]

  • 1925: Probleme der Englischen Sprache und Kultur. Heidelberg.
  • "This collection of essays (14 in German, 1 in English) was compiled to celebrate the 60th birthday of Johannes Hoops. ... He signed it on the first flyleaf as an ex-lbiris and made four corrections in the margin."[31]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Probleme der Englischen Sprache und Kultur
Cover  
Tolkien's signature  

Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde[edit | edit source]

Die reduplizierten Perfekta des Nord- und Westgermanischen[edit | edit source]

Scandinavian Archaeology[edit | edit source]

  • 1937: Scandinavian Archaeology, by Haakon Shetelig and Hjalmar Falk; translated by E.V. Gordon. Oxford.
  • With a typed note "with the compliments of Professor E.V. Gordon." Signed in pencil on the end paper with the additional note in Tolkien's hand "from EVG."[2]

Das schwache Präteritum und seine Vorgeschichte[edit | edit source]

  • 1912: Das schwache Präteritum und seine Vorgeschichte (Hesperia, Schriften zur germanischen Philologie Nr. 1 ), by Hermann Collitz. Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Rupprecht, XVI, 256pp.
  • The signature "JRR Tolkien" is "written in pencil on the dark green coloured first end paper and the name Tolkien is repeated in orange below that".[21]

The Shield of Achilles[edit | edit source]

The Screwtape Letters[edit | edit source]

Specimens Of Early English[edit | edit source]

  • 1935: Specimens Of Early English, by Richard Morris and Walter Skeat, part I, Oxford, 1886, repr. 1935, xcix-554 p.[36]
  • Signed by Tolkien, apparently the third owner of the book. It is covered with a lot of notes, especially the chapter "The Ancren Riwle", but generally from the hands of students.[37][note 1]

Pictures[edit | edit source]

Photos of Specimens Of Early English
Cover  
Tolkien's signature  
Handwritten notes  
Handwritten notes  
Handwritten notes  

Swords & Sorcery[edit | edit source]

Völsunga Saga[edit | edit source]

  • Völsunga Saga, translated by William Morris.
  • Description: Tolkien bought this book with his Skeat Prize money in Spring 1914.[18]

A Welsh Grammar Historical and Comparative[edit | edit source]

  • 1913: A Welsh Grammar Historical and Comparative: Phonology and Accidence, by J. Morris-Jones. Oxford.
  • Description: Tolkien bought this book with his Skeat Prize money in Spring 1914 (the book includes the inscriptions "1914" and "Skeat Prize Vol. 3"). Tolkien added several marginal notes and corrections. On page 33, Tolkien noted "I have heard it in 1920", in reaction to Morris-Jones's remark that while the spelling ychain for Welsh ychen ("oxen") is wrongly derived, the form ychain can be heard in Gwynedd.[9][18]

Thet Freske Riim - Tractatus Alvini Martinus Mijhoff[edit | edit source]

  • 1952: Thet Freske Riim - Tractatus Alvini Martinus Mijhoff, by Alistair Campbell.
  • Description: Original publisher’s cloth, dj with some chipping to corners, top and bottom of spine. viii + 234 pp. Inscribed by the editor in ink, on front free endpaper: "J.R.R.T. with the editor’s kind regards." Corrections by Tolkien in pencil on three pages. The editor, Alistair Campbell, was one of Tolkien’s friends, and often visited him at his Merton Street flat in Oxford, where Tolkien spent his last years following Edith’s death in 1971. [38]

Book II of the Faerie Queene[edit | edit source]

  • 1932:Book II of the Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser.
  • Description: Annoted by J.R.R. Tolkien. The book is kept in The Lily Library, Indiana University.

thump

List of other publications[edit | edit source]

Christopher Tolkien reminisced that his father had a "large collection of books on English place-names including field-names, wood-names, stream-names, and their endlessly varying forms)".[39]

Text of Introductory Address[edit | edit source]

  • 1954: "Text of Introductory Address", delivered by Professor Jeremiah J. Hogan on 20 July 1954 on the occasion of the conferring of a honorary Doctorate of Letters on Tolkien from the National University of Ireland. Tolkien's copy of the Address is kept at the Bodleian Library.[40]

Further reading[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Notes

  1. While the book has been certified by Hammond and Scull as being from Tolkien's library, it remains unknown if all notes were made by other owners/students, or if it includes notes by Tolkien.

References

  1. Douglas A. Anderson, "Library, Personal", in J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment (pp. 361-2)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Altschwedische Grammatik, mit Einschluss des Altgutnischen, by Adolf Noreen. Halle, 1904. Original cloth", Tolkienlibrary.com (accessed 30 January 2015)
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Books From Tolkiens Library For Sale", Tolkien Collector's Guide (accessed 30 August 2014)
  4. "Tolkien Society Facebook group post" dated 6 January 2016, Facebook (accessed 8 January 2017)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Madeline J. Keyser, "Sixteen Philological Books and Notes from the Library of J.R.R. Tolkien" dated 30 December 2012, Tolkien Library (accessed 1 January 2013)
  6. "J.R.R. Tolkien Library", Wade Center (accessed 16 July 2022)
  7. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 9
  8. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 685
  9. 9.0 9.1 Carl Phelpstead, Tolkien and Wales, "Encountering Welsh", "Tolkien's Celtic Library", pp. 9-12
  10. 10.0 10.1 Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond, "Addenda and Corrigenda to The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide (2006) Vol. 1: Chronology", Hammond&Scull.com (accessed 31 July 2012)
  11. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 12
  12. "JRR Tolkien Signed Book From His Library! (item number 140895525420)" dated 15 December 2012, eBay.com (accessed 24 January 2013)
  13. "Germanic words for "deceive"", WorldCat.org (accessed 24 January 2013)
  14. Tom Shippey, The Road to Middle-earth, 3rd edn, p. 20
  15. Pieter Collier, "#CLP0120 - Sammlung Göschen: Germanische Sprachwissenschaft from the Library of J.R.R. Tolkien", Tolkien Library (accessed 16 July 2012)
  16. Pieter Collier, "#PC000031 - Guinevere: A Study of her Abductions, written by the distinguished medieval scholar Kenneth G. T. Webster, from the library of J.R.R. Tolkien", Tolkien Library (accessed 16 July 2012)
  17. Pieter Collier, "#000772 - Litterature Latine Chretienne, Signed By J.R.R. Tolkien", Tolkien Library (accessed 16 July 2012)
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 51
  19. "Der Indogermanische Ablaut, Vornehmlich in Seinem Verhältnis zur Betonung", peterharrington.co.uk (accessed 16 July 2022)
  20. "Lot 241, Auction 20139 (13 Nov 2012, London, Knightsbridge, Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Photographs)", Bonhams.com (accessed 16 November 2012)
  21. 21.0 21.1 "Thornton's signed books from Tolkien's library", Tolkien Collector's Guide (accessed 13 October 2013)
  22. "Unusual provenance discovery in special collections" dated 18 March 2016, Liverpoolhopelibraryblog.wordpress.com (accessed 21 March 2016)
  23. John Garth, "(Facebook post by "John Garth, writer")" dated 20 March 2016, Facebook.com (accessed 21 March 2016)
  24. "503. Tolkien (J.R.R.).- Mapes (Walter) (Sale 689, 16th July 2009)", BloomsburyAuctions.com (accessed 9 February 2013)
  25. "A Pamphlet about BEOWULF from TOLKIEN'S library !!!" [eBay] (accessed 05 Fabruary 2015)
  26. J.R.R. Tolkien; Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Fall of Arthur, "The Poem in Arthurian Tradition", p. 80
  27. "Signed?", Tolkien Collector's Guide (accessed 10 September 2013)
  28. Judith Priestman, J.R.R. Tolkien: Life and Legend, pp. 26-7
  29. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 540
  30. "Portugais; phonétique et phonologie, morphologie, textes (1903)", Archive.org (accessed 22 October 2013)
  31. 31.0 31.1 "Tolkien autographs", TolkienShop.com (accessed 22 October 2013)
  32. Carl F. Hostetter, "(Untitled Facebook post)" dated 12 November 2016, Facebook (accessed 13 November 2016)
  33. J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Qenya Alphabet", in Parma Eldalamberon XX (edited by Arden R. Smith), pp. 6, 158
  34. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 480
  35. Humphrey Carpenter, The Inklings, p. 174
  36. Pieter Collier Specimens of early english at Tolkienlibrary.com(accessed 02 February 2015)
  37. Yvan Strelzyk, Who Am I? at Elrond's Library (accessed 16 July 2012)
  38. "Thet Freske Riim - Tractatus Alvini Martinus Mijhoff, by Alistair Campbell, 1952. Original cloth", Tolkienlibrary.com (accessed 23 May 2015)
  39. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. lvi
  40. J.R.R. Tolkien, "The 'Túrin Wrapper'" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 50, March 2013, p. 11 (note 11)