'Lord of the Rings' map annotated by Tolkien found in rare book shop.

Acclaimed illustrator Pauline Baynes was working on a detailed map corresponding with a new edition of The Lord of the Rings in 1960. During her time crafting the finer points of places Hobbits like to hang out, she worked with J.R.R. Tolkien closely--and the author was a stickler for minutia.

According to The Guardian, Tolkien annotated an older version of a map included with earlier editions of his book, which included notes on where trees might exist, and telling Baynes that Hobbiton "is assumed to be approx at latitude of Oxford," where he was teaching.

Baynes folded the map up and placed it inside her copy of the book--which, over the decades since, largely remained forgotten until it ended up in a rare book store.

Now up for sale for £60,000, the map is on display at the University of Oxford until a map fiend or Lord of the Rings addict gets a second mortgage on their house and purchases it.



photo: Blackwells, via The Guardian