Notes
The Tale of Gondolin, a novella constructed from writings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin is reproduced largely unchanged from Unfinished Tales and the remainder of the story is adapted from the version of The Fall of Gondolin published in The Book of Lost Tales, Part 2.

Publication date unknown.

The text is illustrated throughout by Ruth Lacon.

This book was issued as a numbered, limited edition of 50 copies, signed by Alex Lewis and Ruth Lacon.

* It is referred to as the Second Edition, however, the First Edition merely consisted of two proof copies: one bound in leather was presented to Priscilla Tolkien while the other was retained by Alex Lewis.

Two ‘states’ of this book have been seen, corresponding to two binding dates. The First State includes numbers 1-25 and 31-33 which were bound in 1994-95. The Second State includes numbers 26-30 and 34-50 which were bound in 2004. Details of the First State and the Second State can be found at TolkienBooks.net.

Publisher’s Promotional Blurb
The illustrated and illuminated Tale of Gondolin
The Tale of Gondolin is drawn from the references to Turgon and his life in the Silmarillion, and sewn into the chapter in Unfinished Tales ‘Of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin’ and where necessary, some of the notes to the Unfinished Tales were worked into the narrative where it was thought to clarify the text.

This Unfinished Tale was written by J.R.R. Tolkien in 1951 and left unaccountably unfinished, it would have given in fine detail all that appears as the brief chapter 23 of the Silmarillion, yet tragically it only reaches Tuor’s entry into the Hidden City and goes no further. The rest of the Tale is drawn from the Fall of Gondolin given in Book of Lost Tales Volume Two. Alex Lewis converted the latter half of the earlier story to match what appears in Unfinished Tales and Silmarillion, but preserved all the fascinating detail and finesse of what the original story contained as far as possible.

Christopher Tolkien has maintained that detail given in earlier versions of tales was by no means discarded just because a later version may have been condensed. It is this principle that guided the present work to produce a complete Tale of Gondolin “as it might have been”. Changes and inconsistencies brought up in notes to the Book of Lost Tales ‘Fall of Gondolin’ were effected as Tolkien himself planned them.

Ruth Lacon is a skilled illustrator and calligrapher, influenced by early Persian manuscripts and other Middle, Near and Far Eastern styles. In the summer of 1993 Ruth sent Alex a set of 17 fine illustrations, plus ideas for frontispieces, illuminated letters, end papers and much else, anticipating from the notes to the tape of the Fall of Gondolin song cycle the existence of the complete Tale of Gondolin, suggesting that it be produced in the style of an illuminated manuscript and offered to members of the Tolkien Society. A copy of the text was sent to Ruth so she could work to produce more illustrations as well as many other items the publication needed. She also referred to the songs from both tapes for inspiration. Alex carried out more revision to the text. In this edition the text has been more fully integrated into the style of the Unfinished Tales and Silmarillion and inconsistencies removed.

The results in the illuminated and illustrated edition are the combined efforts of Ruth and Alex. We hope you enjoy the fruits of their labours.

This edition contains over 30 full page line drawing illustrations and two full colour end papers, illustrated chapter headings, a bookmark, and illuminated letters used throughout the text of the book.
The book itself is of A4 size in fine cream paper, clothbound in burgundy with gold titles on front and spine, and produced from laser printed quality original pages.
It is over 250 pages in length, single side printed in large easy-to-read print style.
These signed and numbered editions will be produced strictly to order, so will be very rare collectors items and represent excellent value at the cost of £39.00 each, plus post and packing.
The main purpose of producing such an edition is to show how high a quality may be achieved non-professionally.