Tree and Leaf
$35,000 · Offered by Biblio
First edition · In dust jacket
London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1964. First edition. Near Fine/Near Fine. First edition, first printing. A presentation copy to Oxford poet, Elizabeth Joan Jennings (1926-2001), with a one-page holograph note signed by J. R. R. Tolkien laid in, "Dear Elizabeth, Very best wishes. I hope you have some cheer at Christmas. Remember me to C.D.L. [Cecil Day-Lewis] I believe I have only once met him and wish it were more often. Yours ever affectionately, Ronald." Jennings grew up referring to Tolkien as "Uncle Ronald." 92, [4] pp. Bound in publisher's dark green cloth with spine lettered in gilt; dark green topstain. Near Fine with light foxing to fore edge; Jennings has signed her name in blue ink on the front free endpaper. In a Near Fine unclipped dust jacket with light fading to spine, a few small spots of soiling, minor foxing and toning to edges, and small tape repair to front flap fold on recto. Housed in a custom yellow quarter morocco solander case. An excellent presentation copy of the author's anthology gifted to Elizabeth Joan Jennings a noted poet known for her lyric poetry and the daughter of Dr. Henry Cecil Jennings, a close friend of Tolkien's during their undergraduate days at Oxford. She was the younger sister of Aileen Jennings, generally held to be the first child to read The Hobbit before Mr. Unwin "tried it out." Elizabeth was awarded the CBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 1992 and the only female member of The Movement. "C.D.L." refers to Cecil Day-Lewis (1904
- Publisher: George Allen and Unwin Ltd
- Year: 1964
- Edition: First Edition
- Printing: first
- Binding: unknown
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