An exceptional association copy of The Father Christmas Letters, inscribed by Michael H.R. Tolkien for Daphne Du Maurier, and later inscribed by Du Maurier for a friend.
 
Second impression. Quarto. Original laminated boards, illustrated by Tolkien.
 
Inscribed on the title page by Michael H.R. Tolkien, the son of the author:
“To:- Dame Daphne Du Maurier
- a small tribute from an admirer of your books since first introduced to ‘Rebecca’ in 1938 by the author of this book -
and with every good wish
Michael H.R. Tolkien
second son of the author, about whose literary progress ‘Father Christmas’ complained in 1925!
New Year:- 1978”.
 
Then inscribed on the title page by Daphne Du Maurier for her close friend Maureen Baker-Munton, “Maureen with love from Bing, 1979”. With an autograph letter from this final recipient loosely laid in.
 
An exceptional association copy, inscribed by one of the reciepients of these Father Christmas Letters, for one of the great twentieth century novelists Daphne Du Maurier; somebody whose work J.R.R. Tolkien first introduced Michael to in 1938.
 
Tolkien began writing his children letters from Father Christmas on his return from the First World War. In these letters, he would tell his children tales of the North Pole often replete with illustrations, dusting of snow, Elvish and runic inscriptions and in one letter a goblin alphabet of his own design.
 
This book features an introduction by Baillie Tolkien and transcribes many of the letters than Tolkien sent his children, reproducing their illustrations in colour. It closes with an appendix describing Tolkien’s goblin alphabet.