A day after Tolkien Reading Day – promoted each year by the society dedicated to the great author’s memory – a Newcastle-based auction house will be selling a rare copy of one of his most popular books.
The first edition, first impression 1937 copy of The Hobbit , including black and white illustrations by author J.R.R. Tolkien himself, was included in a job lot box bought for £60 at a Northumberland house clearance sale.
Tomorrow , on the first day of Anderson and Garland’s two-day fine art and antiques sale in Newcastle, the book will be up for sale – valued at an astonishing £4,000-£6,000.
Tolkien Reading Day is held on March 25 each year and is organised by the Tolkien Society to celebrate and promote the life and works of the author – March 25 is the date of the downfall of the Lord of the Rings (Sauron) and the fall of Barad-dûr.
Fred Wyrley-Birch, director at Anderson and Garland, said: “This was just the third book that Tolkien wrote and only 1,500 copies were printed in the first impression of which this was one.
“Three further impressions of that addition were printed to supply the huge demand for the book and hundreds of later editions in many languages.
“The Hobbit is a wonderful read in its own right but to be able to handle a first edition is a great honour. They are extremely rare and have been known to sell for extremely high sums.”
Also up for sale this week will be a memorial to the building of a bridge across a Northumberland river which made a big difference to the lives of local people - especially the mining community.
The idea of a bridge across the River Wansbeck at Stakeford, near Ashington , was first put forward at a lodge meeting of West Sleekburn miners held at the Lord Barrington Inn in 1890.
A committee was set up and held its first meeting at the Grand Hotel in Ashington, with the ferryman Mr Wheatley – no doubt concerned that his livelihood was about to disappear – in attendance.
On September 11, 1909, the Stakeford bridge was opened with a bronze tablet on its side listing the committee, engineers Balfour and Sons and contractors Brims. The opening was followed by a celebratory tea at the North Seaton Hotel.
Now a reminder of that momentous local event will be auctioned on Wednesday at the sale in Newcastle.
For sale at an estimated £500-£700 will be an ornate oak clock presented to John Bell of Ashington ”by the committee and officials of Stakeford Bridge in appreciation of his services as chairman of the committee”.
From 1967 the bridge had a weight restriction of eight tons and despite strengthening, was demolished in 1994. It was replaced with a concrete span to carry the A196 road from Stakeford to Ashington across the River Wansbeck, with an estimated traffic flow of 17,000 vehicles a day.
Also for sale is a Reid and Sons Newcastle longcase clock from around 1900, said to be identical to the one which stood in the foyer of the Reid Jewellers shop in Newcastle for many years. It is valued at £1,250-£2,000.
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