This is a superb Collector's copy of the Illustrated Deluxe 40th Anniversary Edition of 'Unfinished Tales of Numenor' by J R R Tolkien, beautifully illustrated throughout by Alan Lee, John Howe and Ted Naismith.

The 40th Anniversary Edition was published by Harper Collins in 2020.

This is a First Edition, First Printing, UK Hardback, SIGNED by one of the illustrators, Alan Lee to the title page. It is encased in a beautifully illustrated slipcase.

This is a very rare and highly collectible title. This book is one of only 4,000 First Print copies issued by the Publishers in 2020. It was subsequently signed by Alan at a launch event in 2022 for a later Tolkien release.

This superb edition has the following features:

(1) Fully Clothbound hardback, stamped in gold foil with an inset miniature of John Howe's 'The Hunt for the Ring'

(2) Housed in a custom-built slipcase illustrated with wraparound artwork by Ted Naismith.

(3) Colour fold-out poster which reveals the complete version of Alan Lee's dustjacket painting depicting the Numenorean royal ships.

(4) Also included is a large double-sided colour poster which folds out to reveal coloured versions of the maps of 'Beleriand and the Lands to the North' and 'The West of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age' drawn by Christopher Tolkien.

(5) This is the definitive version of the text specially reset for this edition and printed in two colours on heavyweight acid-free paper, and including a blue ribbon marker.

(6) This stunning edition is illustrated with eighteen full colour paintings by Lee, Howe and Naismith and five delicate pencil drawings.

The Book is NEW and UNREAD.

This book has been carefully stored since purchase from Goldsboro Books in 2020 and it has only been opened for Alan to sign in 2022 and in order to take the photographs for this listing.

The Book and its Slipcase are both in VERY FINE condition.

The Book is tight and square. The text block is toning evenly with age and is otherwise bright and clean. There is no spine lean. All corners are sharp and intact. There is no pushing or bruising to the spine. The book and its case are bright and clean. There is no sunning or fading.

The book will be very well protected in bubble wrap and posted out with great care.

I have collected quality signed first edition books for over 30 years and I appreciate the importance of an accurate and conservative description of a book's condition and attributes to a potential buyer. Please look carefully at the photos in this listing and ask me any questions that you may have. I want you to be delighted with your purchase from me and to have no surprises whatsoever.

This book will be very well protected in bubble wrap within a sturdy book box and it will be shipped out with great care. The parcel will be sent via the Royal Mail Special delivery service to all UK destinations.

International sales will be handled only by ebay's global selling programme. The international shipping rates quoted are generated by ebay alone and these are entirely beyond my control.

I am happy to combine postage on multiple book orders whenever I am able. If you wish to buy several books in one order then complete the purchase on ebay and wait for me to send you an invoice for the total payable, which will incorporate any combined postage discounts that I can reasonably offer, once I have calculated the weight and size requirements for your parcel.

If you require any further information or if you require any further specific photos of this title then please contact me via ebay.