Tree and Leaf, by J.R.R. Tolkien - First Edition

This first edition of Tree and Leaf is a brilliant blend of Tolkien's academic and fiction writing, and is a perfect collectable book for any Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan.

Our first edition hardback was published by George Allen and Unwin in 1964, and its contents is split into two halves: the first piece of writing is an essay called ‘On Fairy Stories’ which (as described on the front flap of the dust jacket) ‘rescues [fairy stories] from the academics’ and from 'those who would relegate them to “juvenilia”’. The essay originally came from a lecture which was given at the University of St. Andrews in 1938.

The second half of the book is a short story called ‘Leaf by Niggle’. It is a brilliant work of Tolkien’s, which demonstrates his proficiency for fantasy writing that easily gives way to a whole world of its own.

The two works may seem unrelated, but they were in fact written during the same time period (1938-39) and, as Tolkien describes in the preface of the book, both touch upon the concept of ‘sub-creation’ – a philosophical concept featuring in many of his works involving creating worlds within worlds.

The dust jacket is slightly faded on the spine and has some tears in places, but it is in a protective plastic sleeve. The book's green cloth binding and green sprayed top edge completes the green look of the book!

In the introductory note by Tolkien, he says that this book may ‘be found interesting, especially by those to whom The Lord of the Rings has given pleasure.’ So if you are a Lord of the Rings fan, or a collector of first editions or all things Tolkien, then this is the book for you. It is being sold for £600.

We are also selling a second edition of this book (that has added content!), as well as various other first editions and uncommon books from the world of Tolkien. Check out the rest of the books on our online showcase for more!

If you are interested in purchasing this book, or would like more information of other items we sell, then please get in contact by emailing us at sales@mainlybooks.co.uk, or come visit us in store in Eton! Please refer to our Contact Us page for more information on how to reach us.