The very desk where JRR Tolkien meticulously worked on the final stages of his epic fantasy, The Lord of the Rings, is poised to be auctioned in London.
This mid-Victorian roll-top mahogany and satinwood desk, a tangible link to one of literature's most beloved creators, will be offered at Christie’s on 11 December, carrying an estimated price of £50,000 to £80,000.
Tolkien utilised the desk during his tenure as Merton professor of English language and literature at Oxford University between 1945 and 1959.
It was during this pivotal period that he engaged with the correspondence and proofing of his classic work, with experts suggesting its use was integral to the final revisions. The desk later accompanied him to Headington, Oxford, before eventually passing into the hands of acclaimed novelist Dame Iris Murdoch.
Thais Hitchins, a junior specialist at Christie’s, underscored the desk's profound significance. "This mid-Victorian rolltop desk, owned and used by JRR Tolkien, is an extraordinary material witness to the author’s most productive and creative literary period," she stated.
"Situated in his study at Merton College, Oxford (1945-1959) and later at his residence at Sandfield Road, it was one of Tolkien’s primary work stations during a period in which the author added the important final touches to his magnum opus, The Lord Of The Rings, and researched and drafted some of his most significant academic works, such as his linguistic study of Middle English, Ancrene Wisse. As such, this piece constitutes one of the most important artefacts of Tolkien’s career and is the only desk belonging to Tolkien still in private hands."
The sale forms part of Christie’s 'Groundbreakers: Icons Of Our Time' auction. Other notable lots include the sole known annotated proof of Harry Beck’s iconic London Underground map, estimated at £70,000–£100,000, and the original Harry the Hammer cover artwork for the first edition of Warhammer, which could fetch between £300,000–£400,000.
Also featured are dye-transfer prints used for the Eagles’ Hotel California album cover, back cover, and gatefold, with a guide price of £40,000–£60,000.
