A guest on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow received a stark warning from expert Clive Farahar after he valued her collection of signed J.R.R. Tolkien books at an eye-watering £25,000. The woman brought four titles—The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King—all signed by the legendary author himself. One of the books even contained a charming error where Tolkien had written and then crossed out his own surname instead of the intended recipient's name.
The Story Behind the Books
The guest explained that the books were originally purchased for her late husband by his aunt and uncle, who lived next-door-but-one to Tolkien when he resided in Poole, Bournemouth. The family got to know the author, and when her husband turned 16, they bought the signed copies as a gift. Clive Farahar was visibly impressed, calling the collection "extraordinary" and noting how remarkable it was for an elderly author to take the time to sign books for a neighbour.
A Cautionary Valuation
While Clive acknowledged that the market for signed Tolkien works can be volatile, he estimated that the set could fetch around £25,000 at auction. However, he quickly tempered the guest's excitement, warning: "Don't get excited because as I say they're not hard prices. It's not money in your hand but it is the sort of price you'd expect to see." He also advised against waiting too long to sell, as fashions and prices can change over time.
The guest revealed that a buyer had previously offered her husband thousands for the books, but the sale never went through due to his ill-health. She added that the final decision to sell would rest with her stepchildren, given the books' "huge sentimental value."
More from the Episode
The repeat episode, filmed at the Firstsite art gallery in Colchester, also featured valuations of a 17th-century amulet and a porcelain plaque discovered in a box bought at auction. Antiques Roadshow airs Sunday nights on BBC One, with episodes available to stream via BBC iPlayer.
