The unique case is among a ‘treasure trove’ of personal items belonging to the fantasy author that is expected to fetch a combined hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The case was owned and used by Tolkien during his time at Pembroke College in Oxford and alone is expected to sell for more than £10k.
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Mr Tolkien was a fellow and the Rawlinson and Bosworth professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke between 1925 and 1945, during which time he penned his first masterpiece, The Hobbit.
The collection of literature, belongings and memorabilia of J. R. R. Tolkien (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
The special auction dedicated to the writer includes personal items, rare books and autographs.
Among the lots are his personal door-knocker, a smoking pipe given to him by close friend and fellow author CS Lewis and an incredibly rare first edition of the Hobbit.
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Andrew Stowe, of Auctioneum Ltd, which is hosting the sale, said: “To think that his first draft of The Hobbit could have been carried in this very case is remarkable.
“The case comes inscribed by Tolkien to the top with his initials, and his name and college to the inside.
“At first glance, it is just a simple briefcase. But this was probably used daily by Tolkien and every scuff, ink stain and mark tells a story.
“It’s probably the most important briefcase in modern literature.”
The auction includes Tolkien’s briefcase from when he was a professor at Oxford (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
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The knocker, in the form of a Viking ship, once adorned Tolkien’s home in Headington where he lived with his family for more than a decade during which time he published The Lord of the Rings.
It carries an estimate of £7,000 to £9,000 and is described as “so very Tolkien” by the auctioneer.
Another highlight in the sale is the smoking pipe gifted to him by C.S. Lewis, engraved with a dedication from Mr Lewis addressed to his friend ‘Tollers’.
The two began their friendship at Oxford in 1926 and founded an informal literary group The Inklings.
A smoking pipe gifted to Tolkien by C.S. Lewis is one of the highlights of the sale (Image: Auctioneum Ltd / SWNS)
Mr Stowe said: “‘The connection between CS Lewis and Tolkien is so famous, and so well known.
“To have an item that represents this is not only very exciting, but incredibly important.”
The pipe carries an estimate of £8,000 to £12,000.
A rare ‘true first’ edition of Tolkien’s 1937 masterpiece ‘The Hobbit,’ is also for sale at the action, carrying an estimate of £16,000 to £18,000, one of the first 1,500 books printed which sold out within weeks.
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The auction house expert added: “This edition features the original black and white illustrations that Tolkien himself created. It’s one of the ‘holy grails’ of modern literature collecting.”
A handwritten poem, ‘Goblin Feet’, penned by Mr Tolkien himself is also being sold and is expected to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000.
It was written in 1915 for his soon-to-be-wife, Edith, and this version has some alterations from the published version, such as the word ‘tinkly’ in place of the published ‘twinkly’.
Andrew Stowe, of Auctioneum Ltd in Bath with the items (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Mr Stowe said: “Not only was this a special and personal poem written for his beloved Edith, but this actual example was given to his Tolkien’s Oxford professor and mentor, Joseph Wright of Exeter College.
“It’s unimaginably rare, and completely unique.”
Elsewhere, a third edition of The Hobbit, with its original dust wrapper, and signed by J.R.R Tolkien is expected to sell for more than £7,000.
The items within the auction have been amassed from several private collections up and down the country.
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The personal items were gifted by J.R.R Tolkien to his son, John Francis Tolkien, before being passed over to the vendor’s family in the mid 1970s.
Mr Stowe said the lots of sale are “incredibly important pieces of history” and the auction house is expecting worldwide interest.
‘J.R.R Tolkien – An Auction Of Precious Items’ takes place at Auctioneum Ltd in Bath on Monday, December 8.
The full catalogue can be found on the website.