Middle Earth

The second printing of Barbara Remington’s masterful depiction of Middle Earth.

This eye-catching map of Middle-earth was drawn by the American artist Barbara Remington and published by Ballantine Books in 1965 to promote the recently released paperback edition of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The central composition draws upon earlier maps outlined and sketched by Tolkien and his son, Christopher, and captures the northwestern portion of the continent from Sutherland to the Northern Wastes, including many of the lands visited by the protagonists in the first volume of the iconic trilogy. Frodo’s journey from Hobbiton to Mount Doom is traced with a dotted line, while other important locations, including Helm’s Deep, Minas Tirith, and Mount Doom, are identified with simple pictorial symbols.

Surrounding the map are vivid illustrations based on Remington’s earlier artwork for the Ballantine paperback covers. Interestingly, Remington’s initial Tolkien illustrations included elements that never appeared in the books, including lions and “pumpkins in trees,” because she had not yet read the novel. Her imaginative work nevertheless proved compelling enough that Ballantine hired her again to produce this poster. This is the second printing of Remington’s influential work, identified by the $1.49 price and product number in the lower margin.