Milwaukee’s Marquette University is adding to its J.R.R. Tolkien Collection.

It’s acquired a first edition, first printing of The Hobbit – one of 1,500 copies published in 1937 of the children’s classic – which includes artwork drawn by Tolkien.

 

No purchase price has been disclosed.

Marquette’s collection includes the original manuscripts of  The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

In the 1950’s the university’s library director recognized The Lord of the Rings as a masterpiece soon after it was published – and reached an agreement with Tolkien to obtain the manuscripts – for less than $5,000.