This collection encompasses the full breadth of Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium, beginning with The Hobbit, the tale of Bilbo Baggins’ reluctant journey to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim a dwarven hoard from the dragon Smaug. The narrative continues on a much grander scale in The Lord of the Rings, as Bilbo’s nephew, Frodo, inherits the One Ring and must embark on a perilous quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. Together, these works define the modern high-fantasy genre, weaving a complex tapestry of ancient lore, diverse cultures, and the eternal struggle against the corrupting influence of power, as represented by the Dark Lord Sauron. 

Alan Lee is arguably the most influential artist to ever interpret Tolkien’s world, famously serving as the lead conceptual designer for Peter Jackson’s film trilogies. His involvement began in earnest with the 1991 "Centenary" edition of The Lord of the Rings, commissioned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Tolkien's birth. Lee’s signature style—soft, atmospheric watercolors and delicate pencil sketches—brought a newfound sense of realism and historical weight to Middle-earth, focusing on grand landscapes and architectural ruins that feel lived-in and ancient. After the immense success of the 1991 LOTR, Lee was commissioned to illustrate the 60th Anniversary edition of The Hobbit in 1997, completing the visual canon that would eventually define the aesthetic of the movies.

This specific HarperCollins box set is highly prized by collectors for its unique "two-book" configuration. Unlike modern sets that break The Lord of the Rings into three volumes, this 1990s release features the monumental single-volume 1991 Centenary edition (containing all three parts) paired with the 1997 illustrated The Hobbit. The set is housed in a sturdy, illustrated slipcase that typically features Lee’s evocative artwork of the stone trolls or Bag End. Because this specific two-volume pairing was only produced for a short window before later editions shifted back to the four-book format, first printings of this illustrated set in fine condition are increasingly scarce.

Lord of the Rings bound in brown cloth with gilt lettering and Tolkien symbol to upper board. Original pictorial dustwrapper. Some minimal wear to watercourse and head of apron of dustwrapper. 

The Hobbit bound in green cloth with gilt lettering and dragon to upper board. Gilt letters “the h” peeled away from spine. Original pictorial dustwrapper. Some slight creasing to head of spine of dust wrapper.