The Lord of the Rings (3 Volumes)

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1967. The three-volume set of Tolkien's classic fantasy tale; the revised Second Edition. The first two volumes ("The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers") are (stated) First Printings; Volume Three ("The Return of the King") is the (stated) Second printing. Black decorative cloth bindings; gilt lettering on the spine, with a decoration of the Ring in gilt and (different on each volume) copper, red, and magenta. Clean texts; 423 pages, 352 pages, and 440 pages. All three have the fold-out map in the rear. Volume One has the Foreward by Tolkien; Volume Three has the Index. All three volumes are clean and square, with a small bump to the top of the rear cover of Volume Three. Quercus suspects that the first two volumes of this set may have been ex-libris. There are none of the obvious treatments; however, the top and bottom edges have been blacked out, possibly to hide a stamping; Volume Three remains in its original conditio, with a red topstain and the others white. On the title pages the same blackening-out has been employed at the top and bottom. Quercus is almost able to discern a stamping underneath, but has not been able to read it. All dustjackets have been price-clipped and have some light edgewear and chipping; although Mifflin's design might be called rather unexceptional, they present rather well; in archival plastic protectors. In general assessment, this is a solid set but due to the obvious defects noted, not for the advanced collector.. Second Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.