\n 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.\n<\/p>\n
\n The collection of literature, belongings and memorabilia of J. R. R. Tolkien (Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)\n<\/p>\n
\n The special auction dedicated to the writer includes personal items, rare books and autographs.\n<\/p>\n
\n 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.\n<\/p>\n
\n Help support trusted local news<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n \n Sign up for a digital subscription now:\u00a0https:\/\/www.oxfordmail.co.uk\/subscribe\/<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n As a digital subscriber you will get:\u00a0\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\n<\/p>\n \n 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.\n<\/p>\n \n “The case comes inscribed by Tolkien to the top with his initials, and his name and college to the inside.\n<\/p>\n \n “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.\n<\/p>\n \n “It\u2019s probably the most important briefcase in modern literature.”\n<\/p>\n \n \n READ MORE:<\/strong> Oxfordshire village records coldest night of the season<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n The knocker, in the form of a Viking ship, once adorned Tolkien\u2019s home in Headington where he lived with his family for more than a decade during which time he published The Lord of the Rings.\n<\/p>\n \n It carries an estimate of \u00a37,000 to \u00a39,000 and is described as “so very Tolkien” by the auctioneer.\n<\/p>\n \n 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’.\n<\/p>\n \n The two began their friendship at Oxford in 1926 and founded an informal literary group The Inklings.\n<\/p>\n \n \n Mr Stowe said: “\u2018The connection between CS Lewis and Tolkien is so famous, and so well known.\n<\/p>\n \n “To have an item that represents this is not only very exciting, but incredibly important.”\n<\/p>\n \n The pipe carries an estimate of \u00a38,000 to \u00a312,000.\n<\/p>\n \n A rare \u2018true first\u2019 edition of Tolkien’s 1937 masterpiece \u2018The Hobbit,\u2019 is also for sale at the action, carrying an estimate of \u00a316,000 to \u00a318,000, one of the first 1,500 books printed which sold out within weeks.\n<\/p>\n\n
The auction includes Tolkien’s briefcase from when he was a professor at Oxford (Image: Tom Wren \/ SWNS)\n<\/p>\n
A smoking pipe gifted to Tolkien by C.S. Lewis is one of the highlights of the sale (Image: Auctioneum Ltd \/ SWNS)\n<\/p>\n