Beautiful Slipcased Editions Of J.R.R. Tolkien Classics Get Massive Discounts

The Deluxe Special Edition of The Hobbit incorporates numerous distinctive features absent in the standard edition published by William Morrow in 2023. The 384-page volume is designed with a premium binding composed of cloth boards and quarterbound in textured green leather. The custom clothbound slipcase and cover display foil-stamped logos and text. While the standard edition has blue-stained page edges, the Special Edition opts for gilded edges instead, enhancing its opulent appearance. Like the standard edition, a built-in ribbon bookmark is included.

This variant also offers several distinctive bonuses: two fold-out, poster-sized maps of Thror’s Map and the Wilderland, an 88-page illustrated booklet, and an art card reproduction of the painting Tolkien created for The Hobbit’s original dust jacket.

Both Tolkien Illustrated Editions of The Hobbit showcase 50 sketches, paintings, and other illustrations made by Tolkien while composing the prelude to The Lord of the Rings.

The Deluxe Special Edition of The Silmarillion is currently discounted to approximately the same amount as The Hobbit, though it should be noted that this is not its historical low. It was momentarily on sale for $55 during Prime Day earlier this year.

The Illustrated Edition of The Silmarillion by Tolkien spans 448 pages and features 50 illustrations, paintings, and sketches crafted by J.R.R. Tolkien. The more expensive Deluxe version has a ribbed spine in blue leather and a cloth board cover. The customized clothbound slipcase and cover include foil-stamped symbols and Elvish script. The book features silver page edges, the text is printed in dual colors, and a ribbon bookmark is included for marking your place.

Within the slipcase, you will also discover a Taniquetil art card and two poster-sized maps of Beleriand. One map presents an earlier depiction of the area, while the second depicts a more developed setting. Alongside the maps and art card, an illustrated booklet detailing the genesis of The Silmarillion, narrated by Christopher Tolkien, is included.

The Deluxe Illustrated Special Edition of The Lord of the Rings generally costs more than the other two editions, yet it is a notably larger volume that compiles all three segments of Tolkien’s magnum opus: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Currently, it is available at a remarkable 55% discount, reducing the price to $111.55 (previously $250).

The 1,248-page Deluxe Illustrated Special Edition was the first of the trilogy to be published—William Morrow initiated its release in 2022—thus many of the distinctive features found in the other two editions originated from this one. It includes a pair of fold-out maps of Middle-earth designed by Christopher Tolkien, a quarterbound red leather spine, a cloth board cover, a clothbound slipcase, and foil-stamped graphics and text on both the cover and the slipcase. Additionally, a few supplementary inserts are included, such as Thorin’s letter to Bilbo in Elvish.

The pages of the Deluxe Special Edition feature gold edges—the standard edition comes with red edges—and throughout the text, there are 30 full-color illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien. Just like the standard version, this edition also has a ribbon bookmark and contains the complete original narrative, including the extensive appendices.