Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. 1892-1973. — auction results & prices

9results on record

89%sell-through

$10,678median result (USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer)

$37,649record in our coverage

Drawn from 9 recorded results (8 sold · 1 passed) across 2 auction houses, 2014–2026. What we cover

Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer method · log scale

Where does a value land in this market?

The same figure also answers the seller's question: which house clears a work like this, and for how much — expected proceeds by house, from the sell-through the rest of this page is built on.

Every sold result for this market, low to high (log scale) — the dashed line is the median. Enter a value to see where it lands.

By medium where medium is recorded or stated in the catalog line

Medium	Results	Sell-through	Median result (USD)
other	7	86%	$16,559

Medium is recorded for 7 of 9 results (78%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.

Compared with Einstein, Albert. 1879-1955. Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. 1892-1973. Einstein, Albert. 1879-1955.

Metric	Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. 1892-1973.	Einstein, Albert. 1879-1955.
Median result	$10,678	$11,875
Record price	$37,649	$1,283,538
Results on record	9	172
Years active at auction	2014–2026	1999–2026

Where this artist sells best

House	Results	Sell-through	Median	vs. estimate
Christie's	8	88%	$14,524	—
Bonhams	1	100%	$2,125	3.40×

The same artist across every house we cover — hammer-vs-estimate side by side. A dash in the estimate column can mean withheld rather than unpublished: the house publishes no hammer price, or its printed low is a starting bid rather than an appraisal. Method →

Prices realized 9 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 1 passed lots

Date	Lot	Medium	Estimate USD	House
9 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass
2026·07	Typed letter signed ('J.R.R. Tolkien') to Jenny Hall, 76 Sandfield Road, Headington, 28 February 1966.		$6,674–$9,344	Christie's
2025·12	[Lord of the Rings Trilogy]. Comprising: - The Fellowship of the Ring . London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. [ With: ] - The Two Towers . London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. [ And: ] - The Return of the King . London: Allen & Unwin, 1955.		$9,317–$13,310	Christie's
2025·07	Typed letter signed (‘J.R.R. Tolkien’) to Miss Julie Cape, Oxford, 17 February 1963		$4,075–$6,791	Christie's
2025·07	[Lord of the Rings Trilogy]. Comprising: - The Fellowship of the Ring . London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. [ With: ] - The Two Towers . London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. [ And: ] - The Return of the King . London: Allen & Unwin, 1955.		$24,447–$33,954	Christie's
2024·07	Autograph manuscript, diagrams of Old English phonology, notes for Tolkien's lectures at the University of Oxford, [1942]	4 pages. 240 x 184 mm. Ink and coloured pencil	$8,966–$12,808	Christie's
2023·07	One page, 252 x 202mm. Provenance : by descent from the recipient. 'I congratulate you on managing the metre. C.S. Lewis tried and was totally defeated' . Sending thanks for remembering him again this year [at Christmas] and best wishes to his family. Lots 92 and 93 show Tolkien engaging with Michael Bell on the subject of poetry, praising the work produced by Bell and his wife. Writing two years later, he mentions again C.S. Lewis; the composition of verse was among the many shared pursuits enjoyed by the two friends.		$1,291–$1,936	Christie's
2023·07	Autograph letter signed ('JRR Tolkien') to Michael Bell, [Poole], 25 January 1969.		$6,455–$10,328	Christie's
2023·07	Autograph letter signed ('JRR Tolkien') to Michael Bell, [Oxford] 'c/o Messrs Allen and Unwin, 40 Museum Street', 14 January 1969.		$3,873–$6,455	Christie's
2014·11	Two titles:		$400–$600	Bonhams

Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.