1970 Baynes Map of Middle Earth for Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' (First Trade Printing)

This is the English 'George Allen and Unwin' first trade printing of the iconic 1970 poster map of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth drawn by Pauline Baynes to promote the Lord of the Rings. It is the earliest obtainable iteration of the map, with notably superior production quality and printing over all subsequent editions. Tolkien heaped praise upon Baynes' work, saying, 'They are more than illustrations, they are a collateral theme. I showed them to my friends whose polite comment was that they reduced my text to a commentary on the drawings.'

The Making of the Map

This map corresponds to the famous map drawn by J. R. R. Tolkien's son, Christopher J. R. Tolkien (1924 - 2020), for issue with The Fellowship of the Ring. With the help of cartographers from the Bordon military camp in Hampshire, Baynes expanded upon the map to create the present production. The header features the heroes of The Fellowship of the Ring marching together towards a dark forest. In the footer, the forces of darkness mount a pursuit - the Nine Nazgûl or Ringwraiths lead, followed on either side by Gollum, orc and human warriors, and the giant spider Shelob. Key locations from the novels appear in vignette form around the map, including Hobbiton and Mount Doom.

Baynes worked closely with Tolkien to complete the map, visiting and corresponding with him extensively - at one point she described him as 'not very helpful.' Later, he was apparently pleased with the map, as Baynes wrote regarding the map's release event, 'He is in great form - first names and kissing all round - and pleased with the map.'

Publication History and Census

The map was drawn by Pauline Baynes in 1969 and published in 1970 by George Allen and Unwin. There are multiple printings of this poster, in different sizes and qualities. The present example corresponds to the First British Trade Printing. It is the earliest obtainable printing of this iconic poster, preceded only by a run of 50 proofs for Baynes and her friends. This printing, by Jolly and Barber Ltd., is also superior in quality to all subsequent printings, with better paper and richer color. The posters were initially given out with the first 200 copies of the boxed Lord of the Rings trilogy. They proved popular and were subsequently sold. We note a major state difference between those printed in the United Kingdom and those printed in the United States. U.S. printings, bearing the Ballentine imprint, are slightly larger with more margin at the bottom and include the note 'First Trade Printing 1970. Printed in the U.S.A.' While widely reproduced, originals with the 'George Allen and Unwin' imprint at the bottom center, as here, are scarce.