The Hobbit (with) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1965. A remarkable signed set. Each volume signed by J.R.R. Tolkien in black ink: The Lord of the Rings volumes on their respective half titles, The Hobbit on its half title, for a total of four signatures by the famous British fantasy author. Additionally, a typed sheet is laid in, reading, "7th June, 1967. // With Professor Tolkien's compliments." The sheet is blind stamped with Tolkien's home address, "76, Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford." H. David Wilt, the former owner of the volumes, worked as a children's librarian, and these books were birthday gifts from coworkers. He states, " I was a rather brush young man, and I decided I would send them off to England and ask if I could get them autographed by Professor Tolkien. I looked up an address for him and sent them off, hoping for the best. And the best happened. He signed them and his secretary sent them back and they've been with me for 60 years." Laid in photocopied booklet from Henrico County Library about Tolkien included.
Second American edition, 19th printing of The Hobbit, published in 1965. First American edition, 14th printing of The Fellowship of the Rings, published in 1964. First American edition, 11th printings of Two Towers and Return of the King, published in 1965. LOTR housed in the publisher's black slipcase with paper title label. Very Good+ condition overall: light foxing along edges, dulling to spine panels of jackets, and shelf wear. LOTR volumes' dust jackets are price-clipped (unlike The Hobbit), gift inscriptions from Wilt's colleagues on front free endpapers, a little biopredation. All maps present. Slipcase a little worn. A rare full set of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy signed by Tolkien four times, with an additional typed note from his desk. (Inventory #: 140946671)