A Middle English Vocabulary; Designed for Use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose [First Issue] by TOLKIEN, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel, 1882-1973) - 1922

Oxford: At The Clarendon Press, 1922. First Edition. Wrappers. Near Fine+. First Issue (with advertisements at rear dated October 1921, without "Printed in England" stamped on title page) of Tolkien's first book, a Middle English dictionary meant to accompany an anthology of fourteenth-century verse and prose assembled by Kenneth Sisam. Only 2,000 copies were printed, and many of these were bound with later editions of Sisam's book, further decreasing the number of copies bound in original wrappers. First State binding (of three), without advertisements printed on recto and verso of front free end paper. Crown 8vo (188 x 121mm): [168]pp. Publisher's original buff wrappers, upper cover titled in black within frame of printer's ornaments, spine lettered in black, text in double columns, unpaginated. Previous owner's script to fly-leaf: "McDuffee Balliol / 1922." Slight wear to spine with minor rubbing at ends, trivial marking to covers. An excellent example of this scarce title in original first state binding, soundly bound and clean throughout. Hammond & Anderson A1. Published on May 11, 1922, as a supplement to Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse and Prose, which was published the previous year. (Originally planned as a glossary, the project quickly became a much larger work, but was so long delayed, with Tolkien preoccupied settling his wife and sons at Leeds and preparing for his new post at the university, that, in the end, Sisam's book was published without it, although later editions did include Tolkien's dictionary.) His Vocabulary is filled with textual references, and many of his findings elaborated on (and in time altered) definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary. His prefatory note points out that his purpose in composing the Vocabulary was to give full treatment to what may rightly be called the backbone of the language, and that although Middle English resembled the modern language, and often the learned reader "half-recognizes" many of the words, in fact the words were frequently used in different ways. As a side note, Tolkien had studied under Sisam at Oxford, and in 1925 was chosen over Sisam to hold the Rawlinson and Bosworth chair of Anglo-Saxon. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).