THE COMPLEAT GYDE TO TOLKIEN CALENDARS

YEAR	Publisher/ISBN/Notes	Link
1969	Ken Rudolph A little known (except among collectors) fan art calendar; illustrations by Tim Kirk (see 1975 Ballantine following.) 8.5 x 11 inches (w x h); six pages with cover. Rarity: 10 A very rare calendar. It was an insert into the December 1968 issue of Meretricious, Shangri l'Affaires Christmas Art Supplement1968 edited by Ken Rudolph and Jim Schumacher. Ken et al were active in the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society (LASFS). I know of perhaps three of them (including one owned by Tim Kirk).
1973	Ballantine Books ISBN: 345-02781-395 First of the official Tolkien calendars; orange cover. Illustrations by Professor Tolkien and Pauline Baynes. Dimensions: 13 x 12.25 inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 7 - 10 The calendar shows up on ebay maybe once/month on average. The condition is usually not good and it commonly does not include the original mailer. So it's a 7 for the calendar, 9 with the mailer. It's definitely a 10 in an unopened mailer; I know of two of these.
1974	Ballantine Books ISBN: 345-22781-6-395 Same illustrations as the 1973 Ballantine; lavender cover. Dimensions: 13 x 12.25 inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 7 - 10 Same as the 1973 Ballantine for the same reasons. In fact, it may appear on ebay slightly less frequently than the 1973. I have seen an unopened copy only once on eBay.
1974	Faun Fantasy Press “The Myth and Fantasy Calendar.” Created by Jonathan T. Hodge. Illustrations by nine different artists (including Tim Kirk). Limited edition of 1,000. (My copy is 22/1000.) 11 1/4 x 8 1/2 inches (w x h); stapled on the fold; punched hanging hole. Rarity: 8 I have seen it on ebay only twice. But there are a thousand of them "out there".
1974	George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0 04 529001 6 First of the series publish by Allen&Unwin. Illustrations by Professor Tolkien and Pauline Baynes. Dimensions: 13 x 12 3/8 inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 6 - 9 This one appears on ebay at least once or twice a month on average usually without the mailer: 6. It would be a 7 if the mailer is included. Perhaps surprisingly, a number of these in unopened mailers have appeared on ebay over the years. So it's a 9 for one in that condition.
1974	George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0 04 529001 6 VARIANT: Printed by Clark & Matheson, Auckland, NZ. Illustrations by Professor Tolkien and Pauline Baynes. Dimensions: 13 x 12 3/8 inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 10 Only recently discovered and collected. Am aware of only two copies of it (one with, one without the mailer). As a commercial issue, assume that there are more "out there" in New Zealand.
1974	Het Spectrum ISBN: 90 274 8242 X VARIANT: The first Dutch Tolkien calendar. First of numerous "variant" calendars: licensed by Allen&Unwin or Ballantine and translated into the language of the country in which it was issued. Same illustrations as the 1974 A&U (Professor Tolkien and Pauline Baynes) but all text in Dutch. Dimensions: 13 x 12 3/8inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 9 I have seen this one on ebay only once and know of only three copies of it (including a one that is available from René at The Tolkien Shop). I have not seen it in the original mailer (10).
1975	Ballantine Books ISBN: 345-20061-6-395 First of the calendars by an illustrator other than Professor Tolkien. The artwork was a portfolio done by Tim Kirk. Mr. Kirk spent 25 years as a Disney Imagineer and now has a design firm in Long Beach, CA. Dimensions: 13 x 12.25 inches (w x h); stapled; heavy cardboard mailer. Rarity: 5 - 10 The calendar without the mailer shows up once maybe twice a month on average on ebay: 6. It is much less common with the mailer: 8. I have a copy in an unopened mailer: 10.
1975	Ballantine Books (Canada) ISBN: 345-20061-6-395 VARIANT: Canadian edition (but, interestingly, the same ISBN as preceeding calendar); lithography by Ronalds Federated Graphics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also, Farmer Maggot's last name is spelled correctly on the May illustration of this issue! Dimensions: 13 x 11.25 inches (w x h); stapled; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 9 I have seen this calendar twice on ebay: once with and once without the mailer.
1975	Pant-Hoot Publications “The Pant-Hoot J.R.R. Tolkien Memorial Calendar 1975”. First of the calendars by the American Tolkien Society. Illustrations by Philip W. Helms. 8.5 x 11 inches (w x h). Rarity: 9 I know of three copies of this calendar.
1976	Ballantine Books ISBN: 345-24725-6-495 Illustrations by the Brothers Hildebrandt. First of the trio (1976, 1977, and 1978) that they did. Dimensions: 13 x 12.25 inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy cardboard mailer. Rarity: 4 Somewhat common on ebay. With the mailer: 7. Does appear in an unopened mailer now and then: 8.
1976	George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0-04-549002-4 “The Hobbit Calendar 1976”. Illustrations by Professor Tolkien (coloration by H. E. Riddett). Dimensions: 13 7/8 x 15.5 inches (w x h); wire bound; heavy wire hanging loop; medium-weight paperboard mailer printed with theme similar to the cover of the calendar. Rarity: 6 Appears on ebay with or without the mailer.
1976	Methuen Publications (Toronto); copyright George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0 458 91820 2 VARIANT: “The Hobbit Calendar 1976”. Illustrations by Professor Tolkien (coloration by H. E. Riddett). Licensed by Allen&Unwin and published by Methuen (Toronto). Dimensions: 13 7/8 x 15.5 inches (w x h); wire bound; heavy wire hanging loop; glossy, light-weight paper mailer/envelope printed with theme similar to the cover of the calendar. Rarity: 7 Somewhat less common than the A&U variant.
1976	George Allen & Unwin (New Zealand) ISBN: 0 04 529002 4 VARIANT: “The Hobbit Calendar 1976”. Illustrations by Professor Tolkien; colored by H. E. Riddett. Dimensions: 13 x 12.5 inches (w x h); stapled; light-weight, white paperboard mailer printed with theme similar to the cover of the calendar. Rarity: 8 Has appeared on ebay three times that I know of.
1977	Ballantine Books ISBN: 345-25135-0-495 Illustrations by the Brothers Hildebrandt. Second of the trio (1976, 1977, and 1978) that they did. Dimensions: 13 x 12.25 inches (w x h); stapled; punched hanging hole; heavy-weight cardboard mailer. Rarity: 4 Somewhat common on ebay with or without the mailer. Does appear in an unopened mailer now and then: 7.
1977	George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0 04 529003 2 “The Lord of the Rings 1977 Calendar.” Illustrations by Professor Tolkien. Cover: "Eye of Sauron". End page has some nice notations added by his son, Christopher. Dimensions: 11 7/8 x 15 inches (w x h); wire bound; heavy wire hanging loop; medium-weight paperboard mailer/envelope printed with theme similar to the cover of the calendar. Rarity: 6 Appears on ebay with or without the mailer.
1977	George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0 04 529003 2 VARIANT: “The Lord of the Rings 1977 Calendar.” Variant of the preceeding issue printed by Mastercraft Printing, Sydney, Australia. Dimensions: 11 7/8 x 15 inches (w x h); spiral wire bound; heavy wire hanging loop; light-weight white paper mailer/envelope printed with theme similar to the cover of the calendar. Rarity: 8 Has appeared on ebay once. I picked up a copy from a fellow collector.
1977	George Allen & Unwin ISBN: 0 04 529003 2 VARIANT: “The Lord of the Rings 1977 Calendar.” Variant of the preceeding issue "Distributed by BOOK REPS (NZ) LTD. / Printed in N.Z. by Marfleet Litho Print Ltd." Illustrations with calendar months below are printed on both sides of the pages so this calendar is only eight pages total. Dimensions: 11 3/4 x 15 inches (w x h); punched hanging hole; saddle stapled; assume it originally came in an envelope but this is the only copy of it that I have discovered. Rarity: 10 Has appeared on eBay once. As a commercial issue, assume that there are more "out there".
1977	Permanent Press (div. of Thorin & Co.) "Calendar of Imladris". Fourteen black and white illustrations by John Pivovarnick, Michael Logan, Tom Santoski. Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 inches (w x h); stapled on the fold. Rarity: 9 I know of only three collectors who have one.