The Morgan Library in Manhattan is currently featuring Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, billed as the “most extensive public display of original Tolkien material for several generations.” I recently journeyed there to survey the materials myself.
My first introduction to Tolkien came via the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit, starring John Huston as Gandalf.
So of course I was very excited to bring my replica of Glamdring, the Foe-Hammer to the exhibit.
Oh come on!
I left Glamdring in my office and my phone in my pocket and enjoyed Tolkien’s amazing maps, paintings, and book covers. Seeing Tolkien’s first draft of the map of the Lonely Mountain from The Hobbit, moon-letters and all, was something else.
But one of the most memorable pieces was a reading letter from the publisher’s 11-year old son, who after reading the first chapter of what would become The Fellowship of the Ring, declared that it was a bit boring and had “too much Hobbit talk.” Incidentally, by the time Tolkien eventually completed Lord of The Rings, that boy, Rayner Unwin, had joined his family’s publishing company and shepherded the book to publication.
Below are some of the amazing items at the exhibit, which will be on display through May.
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- Bilbo comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves
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- Conversation with Smaug
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- First map of Lord of the Rings
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- Tolkien’s dust jacket design for The Hobbit
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- Hobbiton
I’ve seen the maps and some of the illustrations irl. You just get that feeling of… wow. The father of modern fantasy made these things. Not to mention their appeal as pieces of art – the detail that went into everything, be it planning or just the tiny sketch marks. Glad you enjoyed the Tolkien geekjoy!
Yeah, my thoughts exactly! The “Conversation with Smaug” piece in particular is stunning. I bought a notebook at the shop that has that painting as the cover.