Lord of the Rings, paperback cover study art (1965)

Some people don't like Barbara Remington's cover illustrations for J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. I'm not one of those people. Her study is estimated at $20,000 - $30,000 at Heritage's upcoming auction.

This landmark illustration was used for a trio of Ballantine Book covers for J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. The covers were designed so that laid side-by-side they create a panoramic scene. This 1965 edition was the first authorized U. S. paperback edition, and the books were issued in a slipcase, which also featured the same artwork as a wrap-around image. A hugely popular poster titled "Wilderness" has also been produced using this iconic image.