LOTR early cover art
 

For your enjoyment: the New York Times has this slide show of early editions of Tolkien's writings, and some cover designs that "didn't make the cut".

I particularly like the design he did for "Return of the King".

Go to: NYT cover designs

Thanks for sharing! Those were cool! I really liked the French covers! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Wow! Those are beautiful. Thanks!

Used to have used versions of those paperback editions by Ballantine, but they got too grubby and my sis tossed 'em. Too bad! Love those 1969 Deluxe Editions, very cool!

Whoa.....those French ones are cool.

Whoa.....The first editions of "The Lord of the Rings," published by Allen & Unwin....they took me right back to the day my friend "Merry" left the library copy of "The Two Towers" in my lap....
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Wow, those Ballantine ones are bright. That slide show thing didn't have my copies of it (1979, older than me. They're my mum's) but it's close to the first edition. Same picture, but in a white box on a coloured background (green, blue, tan).

Yeah, I got the Ballantine editions for Xmas, 1973. They were so beautiful! Wish I had them now, but they fell apart long ago.