Tolkien Artwork

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

In Letter 184 Tolkien explains that near Birmingham, (where he spent his childhood) "gamgee" (or "gamgee-tissue") was a colloquial local word for surgical cotton-wool, invented by Dr. Joseph Sampson Gamgee.
The "word pun" in the story is his linking together the families of Cotton and Gamgee .

That is indeed a passing reference in the same notes Tolkien wrote for the foreign publications. I can send in PM to you the PDF of Tolkien's instructions regarding his nomenclature if you desire. If anyone else would like it, let me know.

 

[Radaghast]

Old woman Aragorn strikes again...

 

[Deimos]

Old woman Aragorn strikes again...
View attachment 49944

And Deranged Elf Legolas (with his toy Bow and Arrow)

 

[Radaghast]

And Deranged Elf Legolas (with his toy Bow and Arrow)

And a rather taller-than-seems-normal Gimli.

 

[Deimos]

And a rather taller-than-seems-normal Gimli.

And well-coiffed too .

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Despite some odd choices, overall I like Denis Gordeev's illustrations. He seems to have taken Aragorn's age (87) a little too "real-life literally".

Not really very different from people who insist Frodo should have been played by a 50-year-old.

Personally, I'd love to have his Russian editions -- particularly if HM or someone did them with English text. I believe he did 30 illustrations for The Hobbit alone.

 

[Elthir]

If you look closely. . . you still can't see Glorfindel. . . by J. D. Howard.