JRR Tolkien Reads Sings Lord of the Rings Vinyl LP 1975 First Press Caedmon TC 1
  £   43
  $   56

 


£ 43 Sold For
Jul 11, 2026 Sold Date
Jun 22, 2026 Start Date
1 Number Of Bids
  Great Britain Country Of Seller
eBay Sold at
 
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Description

Item Specifics

  • Artist: J.R.R. Tolkien

  • Title: Reads and Sings From His The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers / The Return of the King

  • Format: Vinyl LP (Album, Stereo/Monaural)

  • Release Year: 1975

  • Record Label: Caedmon Records

  • Catalog Number: TC 1478

  • Edition: First Pressing

  • Speed: 33⅓ RPM

  • Record Size: 12"

Description

An Incredible Piece of Literary & Audio History – Fully Play-Tested!

Up for auction/sale is a genuine 1975 US first pressing of J.R.R. Tolkien Reads and Sings From His The Lord of the Rings on Caedmon Records (TC 1478). This historic release features Tolkien himself reading and chanting poetry from The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

The Story Behind the Recording The audio on this vinyl captures a pivotal moment in fantasy literature history. In August 1952, long before The Lord of the Rings trilogy was published, Tolkien was staying in Malvern with his close friend George Sayer. At the time, Tolkien was deeply discouraged; the trilogy had been rejected by publishers, and he had nearly given up hope of ever seeing it in print.

Sayer happened to own a cutting-edge Ferrograph open-reel tape recorder and encouraged Tolkien to read his unpublished manuscripts aloud to see how they sounded. Hearing his own voice reading the prose and chanting the Elvish poetry completely revitalized Tolkien's spirits, giving him the confidence boost he needed to push forward and finally publish the masterpiece we know today.

Condition Report

  • Vinyl: Excellent / Very Good Plus (EX/VG+). This copy has been fully play-tested. It plays beautifully with clear, clean audio, which is crucial for a spoken-word album where every whisper and chant matters.

  • Center Labels: Clean first-press labels (Blue/White Caedmon banner, 505 Eighth Avenue address) with no writing or peeling.

  • Sleeve / Jacket: Very Good (VG). Shows some honest vintage edge wear, light corner scuffing and sunning to the edges, but the front cover portrait of Tolkien remains vibrant and holds up beautifully for display. Original inner paper sleeve included.

Tracklist

  • Side A (The Two Towers): Excerpts from The Departure of Boromir, Treebeard, The King of the Golden Hall, The Passage of the Marshes, The Black Gate is Closed, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit.

  • Side B (The Return of the King & The Fellowship of the Ring): The Muster of Rohan, The Ride of the Rohirrim, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Mount Doom, The Steward and the King, and a special bonus reading from The Fellowship of the Ring (Farewell to Lórien).

This is an absolute must-have for any serious Tolkien collector, high-fantasy enthusiast, or vinyl audiophile.

Shipping & Packaging Will be packaged securely in a dedicated cardboard vinyl mailer with extra padding to ensure it arrives safely. Sent via tracked delivery. Please check out the photos for a closer look, and feel free to ask any questions!


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