1965 Middle Earth
DESCRIPTION
An extraordinary original 1965 promotional map of Middle-earth, combining the geography of J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary fantasy world with the wildly imaginative illustrations of American artist Barbara Remington.
Published by Ballantine Books during the first authorized American paperback release of The Lord of the Rings, this large and brilliantly colored poster captures a remarkable moment in the history of fantasy literature. At its center is a detailed map of Middle-earth, showing the Misty Mountains, Mirkwood, the Shire, Rohan, Gondor, and the dark realm of Mordor. Surrounding the map is an elaborate border populated by mysterious creatures, sweeping landscapes, dark birds flying beneath a full moon, and a terrifying volcanic eruption.
Barbara Remington and the American Tolkien Phenomenon
When Ballantine Books prepared its paperback editions of Tolkien's novels in 1965, Barbara Remington was commissioned to create their cover illustrations under an exceptionally tight deadline. Famously, she had little opportunity to familiarize herself with the books before beginning her work, resulting in an imaginative interpretation of Middle-earth that departed considerably from Tolkien's own descriptions. The author himself was reportedly bewildered by some of her inventions, including peculiar animals and trees bearing what appeared to be pumpkins. Nevertheless, Remington's colorful, almost psychedelic artwork became inseparable from the early American reception of Tolkien's novels, introducing an entire generation of readers to the extraordinary world of hobbits, wizards, and epic adventure.
An Iconic Map of Middle-earth
The central geography was drawn by Christopher Tolkien, the author's son, whose maps helped readers navigate the intricate landscapes and journeys described throughout The Lord of the Rings. Remington surrounded his cartography with imagery adapted from her celebrated paperback cover illustrations, including sinister creatures, fantastic birds, a sprawling spiderweb, and an erupting volcano. The result is an unusual marriage of literary cartography and 1960s fantasy illustration, equally appealing to collectors of Tolkien memorabilia, vintage posters, and imaginative maps.
This example bears the original Ballantine Books publication code U8251 and printed price of $1.49, identifying it as the first printing of this increasingly sought-after poster. An authentic artifact of the period when Tolkien's work was becoming a cultural phenomenon in the United States, it preserves the distinctive visual identity that helped introduce Middle-earth to a new generation of American readers.
CONDITION
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