Its time for the Tolkien toast again!

On the 3rd January 1892 in South Africa JRR Tolkien was born and fans of the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy around the world will be raising a glass to him at 9pm local time.

To make the birthday toast The Tolkien Society say you should stand and raise a glass of your choice of drink (it doesn’t have to be an alcoholic beverage) and say the words “The Professor.”

You should then take a drink from the glass before sitting down to finish the rest.

The Tolkien Society is an international organization registered in the United Kingdom to encourage interest in the life and works of the late Professor J.R.R. Tolkien.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” – John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, British scholar, poet, philogist and Grandfather of high fantasy (1892 – 1973)

The Tolkien Toast is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

Round 1 went to the Tolkien trust today in its battle with New Line Cinema over an alleged $220 million it claims is owed from the profits made from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Judge Ann Jones turned away arguments from the defense that the nature of all the lawsuits claims were such that a jury wasn’t required and she should consider them herself.

She also denied an alternative defense motion that asked for her to ‘decide’ on some claims while others went to a jury.

“I am reluctant to do something serially that I can do simultaneously, I do not want these (witnesses) to come back twice” Jones said.

The door was left slightly ajar though for lawyers of New Line Cinema when the judge said she may be pursuaded at a later date to change her mind and split the case into two phrases.

Bonnie E. Eskenazi, an attorney for the Tolkien trust said “Jones’ rulings mean the trial will proceed like most trials do.”

Tolkien’s heirs are also alleging breach of contract and asking the court to force New Line Cinema to hand over accounts of profits from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Tolkien Trust, a British registered charity set up in 1977 to manage future profits made from the authors works, claim the original deal to the rights of the books included 7.5% of gross movie receipts and merchandise less certain costs going to the charity.

The trial is set to start on October 19th. What this might mean for The Hobbit movie remains to be seen but with filming due to start during the court case it looks like The Tolkien Trust timed it pretty well if they were looking for any kind of leverage.

It’s also understandable why New Line Cinema did not want a jury trial when news of The Hobbit movies will be common place by the time they are selected.

Trying to cast themselves as the good guys against a charitable trust when production of 2 more Tolkien works is under way is going to be very difficult, especially when The Hobbit movies are both practically guaranteed to be blockbusters.

Tolkien Battle Goes To Court is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

The Associated Press are reporting that a previously unpublished work by JRR Tolkien will be released this Summer.

“The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun,” a thorough reworking in verse of old Norse epics that predates Tolkien’s writing of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, will be published in May by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

According to Houghton, the book will include an introduction by Tolkien and notes by his son, Christopher Tolkien.

J.R.R. Tolkien, whose fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy have sold millions of copies, died in 1973. “The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun” was written in the 1920s and ’30s, when the author was teaching at Oxford University.

Obscure JRR Tolkien book Published This Summer is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

The 3rd of January is the birthday of JRR Tolkien and if you aren’t too hung over from the New Year parties you are invited by the Tolkien society to join in a toast to the late author of much loved stories from Middle Earth, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

It will be 117 years since Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa and as usual Tolkien society members and fans across the globe will be raising their glasses to mark the day with a toast.

The toast is “The Professor”.

If you are unfamiliar with the tradition, it is simply a way to honor someone. Stand, raise your full glass (traditionally alcohol for adults or a soft drink for minors) and say “The Professor” before taking a drink.

There are several birthday parties held to honor Tolkien organised by fans. If you are attending or organising one please feel free to announce it in the Tolkien forum.

JRR Tolkien Birthday Toast is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

GTC Roadshow AG announces the acquisition of the most expensive Tolkien book ever sold; a signed first edition of “The Lord of the Rings” dedicated to the “Queen of the Hobbits”, for 104.000 USD.

A further 5 lots were acquired in the same auction: the first translation of The Hobbit dedicated to E. Griffiths, a signed US first edition Lord of the Rings, P. Baynes’ original art, a signed map of Middle-earth and a book dedicated to Tolkien’s son Michael.

The pieces will add to the largest Tolkien collection ever compiled and will be offered to the public in a unique exhibition.

Tolkien collecting has evolved well beyond books into a wide variety of interpretations of Middle-earth, culminating in the Peter Jackson films and the upcoming Hobbit movies. The collection contains thousands of pieces, which represent a popular culture that has grown up around collecting Tolkien.

Mark Faith, of GTC said: “an exhibition of this caliber is been long in coming in the hearts of the Tolkien community and it is our mission that the general public sees the unique pieces, which normally are hoarded in private collections. This Tolkien exhibition is for the people and created by people who love Tolkien.” He also said that as part of the exhibition project GTC is forming the GTC Fellowship, a Tolkien collecting society.

The acquired “The Lord of the Rings” will be another highlight of the show after acquiring the signed first edition “The Hobbit” recently. Mark Faith said: “It was so expensive because it is a truly unique set. In volume one Tolkien has penned “Elainen tarin Periandion ar meldenya anyaran” (to Elaine, Queen of Hobbits and my very old friend).

It belonged to Elaine Griffiths, a student of Tolkien, who was instrumental in encouraging Tolkien to get the Hobbit published. It is a true rarity to find the trilogy all signed by Tolkien, even more so with his inscription in Elvish”.

The GTC Roadshow AG is also opening this opportunity to outside investors and sponsors, as it is a too important a project.

To view the “Most Expensive Tolkien Book in the World, a Signed 1st Edition Lord of the Rings” click here.

To view the “Tolkien Signature and Dedication to Elaine Griffiths, Queen of Hobbits” photo, please click here.

You can discuss the sale of this book and other Tolkien topics in the new Hobbit movie forum

Most Expensive Tolkien Book Of All Time is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

Today is the aniversary of The Hobbit first reaching the bookshelves in the UK. September 21st, 1937 was the day the world was introduced to a world of Dwarves, Wizards and Hobbits although it had been a full 9 years since Tolkien had first scribbled the words “In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit” on a blank exam paper handed in to him by one of his students. Complete with maps and illustrations The Hobbit was an instant hit with children of all ages.

It was a 10 year old boy who was responsible for the publishing of The Hobbit. A friend and former student of Tolkien, Ellaine Griffiths pestered her friend, Susan Dagnell, to take The Hobbit to the publishing house Allen and Unwin where she worked in an attempt to get it published. The book was given to 10 year old Rayner Unwin, the son of one of the partners.

The boy was paid the standard fee of one shilling for his opinion. You can see his review in the picture below. Later in life Rayner said “It was the best shilling the firm ever spent!”

As a result of the interest from Allen and Urwin, Tolkien polished up The Hobbit and did the illustrations and maps himself including the original dust cover.

On the 21st September the first edition reached the bookshelves and by Christmas all 1500 copies had been sold. The Hobbit was then published in America and first went on sale on March 1st 1938 and by June all 3000 of the first edition had been sold.

It would be the 1960′s before The Hobbit reached the fame and acclaim it enjoys today after the release of the 3 part Lord Of The Rings trilogy in 1954/55 which went on to become one of the most read literary works ever published and brought a clamour for all things Tolkien.

There have been several attempts to bring The Hobbit to other media and in 1968 the BBC brought The Hobbit to the masses with an 8 part radio adaptation which was regarded a major success by both Middle Earth purists and Hobbit fans alike. It was made into an animated movie for TV in 1977 but proved unpopular with both Hobbit and Middle Earth fans because it didn’t stick closely enough to Tolkien’s original story (Del Toro take note).

It will be Christmas 2011 and a mere 75 years after first publication that The Hobbit will (hopefully) get the movie it’s story deserves.

Happy Birthday Hobbit!

The Hobbit Is 71 Today is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

Way back in September I reported the coastal home of Tolkien had been purchased by a local property developer who planned to demolish it and build 2 four bedroom homes on the land.

Well despite a few complaints, permission was granted so the developer (a Mr. Malton) was removing the fireplace (which he planned to sell) prior to the bulldozers moving in and came across a postcard hidden behind it which was addressed to JRR Tolkien.

It was signed Lin and is believed to be from American fantasy author Linwood Vrooman Carter who went by the pen name of Lin Carter. Linwood wrote “A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings” published in 1969. The dates tie in as it has a 1968 post office stamp on it and he would have been researching his book during that year.

He had already found a bronze fairy and a stone gryphon buried in the undergrowth and plans to sell these together with the post card and the fireplace at auction.

Mr Malton, who owns ProDem Demolition apparently missed the irony by saying :

“To find something with the Tolkien name on it is quite amazing”

as he waved in the bulldozers to knock down the former home of the Tolkien family.

Tolkien Relics Found At Previous Residence is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

Christopher Tolkien who is the son of J.R.R. Tolkien and who in 1977 published The Silmarillion from his fathers notes following his death has called for “One Last Crusade” as he sets off from his home in England for a date in the courts of California on June 6th in an attempt to stop work going ahead on The Hobbit movies.

Tolkien jr, now 83 years young spent the best part of 4 years working on The Silmarillion after his father died in 1973 and is said by his autobiographer to be “cantankerous” claims The Tolkien Trust charity of which he is a board member is owed in the region of 80 million dollars by New Line Cinema (who else??).

When his father reluctantly sold the movie rights to The Lord of the Rings to pay a tax debt, as a persuasive sweetener to seal the deal it was agreed that the charity would receive a 7.5% share of profits any future movies would make.

He is to ask the judge to terminate the rights to The Hobbit movie because of the breach of contract. Relatives say he is “furious” with New Line Cinema and has always been sceptical of Hollywood. Even now relatives are still unsure whether he has seen any of The Lord Of The Rings movies.

If the judge turns down his request or if Warner Bros fail to step in and settle the debt (the money is to carry out charity work world wide so it would be good press) we can expect Christopher Tolkien to put up an even bigger fight over the proposed second Hobbit movie which is to be based on The Silmarillion, a book he devoted years to and to which he would probably be seen by courts to have a greater say in regarding movie rights.

My guess is a deal will be struck my Warner Bros who have already committed themselves to spending $150 million to the making of the 2 Hobbit movies. Each of The Lord Of The Rings Movies made around $1 billion.

One Last Crusade In The Battle For The Silmarillion is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

Signed by JRR Tolkien and given to family friend Elaine Griffiths, the book was estimated to be worth $40 000

At auction today at Bonham’s of London, England, the first edition copy of The Hobbit went for 3 times its estimate.

There were 1500 first editions printed which all sold quickly. Over 100 million further editions have been sold worldwide since then.

I feel a quest coming on! Start digging in the attic through your parents or grand parents old book collections and keep your fingers crossed.

First Edition The Hobbit Sells For 122,000 dollars is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

A signed first edition copy of The Hobbit is part of a collection of Tolkien memorabilia that is due to go up for auction at Bonhams in London.

The book is inscribed to Elaine Griffiths, Tolkien’s friend who had convinced him to published The Hobbit.

He had written the book with the intention of it being only for his children but luckily, Ms Griffiths managed to read it while visiting and it was she who got in touch with and recommended the book to George Allen and Unwin who went on to publish The Hobbit.

That first edition run of 1500 was soon sold and is still selling worldwide. Last count had it at over 100 million copies sold worldwide.

Also included in the auction is the last known potograph taken of him. The picture was given to Ms Griffiths by Tolkien’s daughter and on the back is written “For Elaine with love from Priscilla”.

The potograph has Tolkien against his favorite tree in the Oxford Botanical Gardens. The tree is a Black Pine which Tolkien had named Laocoon.

There is also the first translated copy, A Swedish version of The Hobbit, also signed by Tolkien. There are also various maps, photographs and manuscripts in the auction.

First Edition The Hobbit Star Of The Show is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

It is 70 years today since The Hobbit first went to print. Assuming the book made it into the shops by the next day we might have a reason for the importance of 22 September for Tolkien. It would be a big coincidence that Bilbo and Frodo both had their birthday on the 22nd September for some other reason, or perhaps pure luck.

The Hobbit Is 70 Today is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

The bungalow Tolkien and his wife retired to in Poole, Dorset, England is to knocked down to make way for a new development.

Tolkien sold the seaview home for £23 000 to a Mr. Frankel and moved to Oxford after his wife Edith died in 1972. Mr Frankel just sold the home to a property developer for a cool  £1 million.

The developer has applied and been granted permission to demolish and replace with 2 four bedroom family homes. Mr. Frankel is having an open house session for any Tolkien fans wishing to have a last look around before the home is knocked down. There are also some items for sale that were owned by Tolkien but left in the property when he left.

The Tolkien coastal home to be demolished is a post from: The Hobbit Movie

I’ve just added a page about the author of The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien.
JRR Tolkien

JRR Tolkien is a post from: The Hobbit Movie