A COLLECTION OF 40 SIGNED HOLOGRAPHIC LETTERS SPANNING THE YEARS 1964 THRU 1993

A COLLECTION OF 40 SIGNED HOLOGRAPHIC LETTERS SPANNING THE YEARS 1964 THRU 1993; 14 from Edith Tolkien (wife of J.R.R.) dated 1964 thru 1971 and 26 from Priscilla (only daughter of J.R.R. & Edith) dated 1969 thru 1993; most in fine condition, many multi-page; all but two with original envelope when called for and all addressed to long time family friend Professor W. Meredith Thompson of Canada. Some details/highlights: Edith thanks Meredith for naming her the dedicatee of his book and receipt of same; mentions that her and J.R.R. give nicknames to those people they are fond of (indeed in all 14 letters from Edith, she refers to the recipient as "My Dear Merrie Tom"); notes that the pirated edition (Ace paperback publication) of THE LORD OF THE RINGS is causing her husband extra work and delaying work on his next book; the reasons leading up to leaving and selling their Oxford residence; J.R.R.'s fall down the stairs and complicated knee surgery and later thrombosis as well as other serious ailments; referring to various titles by J.R.R., Priscilla mentions and thanks the recipient for the good times spent by him with her parents; how neither of her parents are very practical people despite being so different from each other; the sudden death of her mother, Edith, and the causes and last days as well as who was able to see her and who was not and the funeral services in Bournemouth, but the actual burial in Oxford; how her father held up during these times; the return of her father to Merton College and how he was welcomed with lodging there; his much needed socialization in Oxford; his trip to London with her and brother John to receive the C.B.E.; thanks Meredith for the copy of THE LAST UNICORN but states "although perhaps rather obviously imitative of Tolkien in style, it (does) not contain the interest because (it's) a rather more crude fairy tale;" a trip to Edinburgh, one of her favorite cities, where her father received an honorary degree and held up well with banquets and festivities; how she was helped so much by his (Meredith Thompson) sympathy and kind words concerning her fathers passing; that her father was lonely without his wife but was bolstered by all those back at Oxford and happy to be in familiar surroundings; that just prior to his death he began hemorrhaging while spending time in Bournemouth due to an ulcer but had excellent medical care; how she and brother John were able to spend precious time with her father while still conscious but that brothers Michael & Christopher were alas unable to do so but were there for the funeral; that Christopher was named Literary Executor; that Michael had a near nervous breakdown perhaps precipitated by his fathers death; that brother John was coping well and a great comfort to her; that the younger members of the family were likewise supporting; she extends an invitation for Christmas this year (1973); that she encloses a photo (here present) of her father next to his favorite tree along with two of his grandchildren, among the last photos ever taken of him; that enclosed newspaper cuttings of her fathers death are his to keep (likewise here present): thanking the recipient for his hospitality when she went to see him; that her brother Christopher has to yield his teaching fellowship to begin work on the publication of THE SILMARILLION; the excitement of the on going preparation of the Tolkien biography by Humphrey Carpenter; the recently released Caedmon recordings of her father reading from both THE HOBBIT & LORD OF THE RINGS; cousins living in Canada; slowly going through her fathers papers to give to the Bodleian Library; the 50th anniversary celebration of THE HOBBIT and exhibition of manuscripts and drawings at the Bodleian Library along with window displays at new bookstores; etc. All in all, very chatty, informational and personal letters about the above as well as state of health, vacationing in different places, welfare of children and grandchildren, thank you's for gifts, Parent's Golden Wedding Anniversary, traveling and travel plans, time spent in Bournemouth, schooling, teaching, et.al. A wealth of first hand documentation can be gleaned from these items which have never been offered to the public or have ever been seen by them. Furthermore, to the best of my knowledge, none of these letters have ever been published or utilized in any Tolkien biography.