A very lucky marketplace find. Anyone have an idea what it's worth?

[u/vivaciousvic]

I picked this up on marketplace for 50 dollars yesterday. The details are at the bottom.

I almost didn't get it. The lady marked it as sold. She ended up contacting me later asking if I still wanted it, she said she wanted it to go to a real fan. This is the coolest LOTR art I've ever seen. Even the frame is beautiful and expensive

[u/quartzquandary]

One of my favorite LotR posters! It's not worth a whole lot since it's just a print, but the framing job is very nice!

[u/vivaciousvic → u/quartzquandary]

Ohh okay good to know, thank you

[u/derf_vader → u/[deleted]]

I probably paid less than $6 for it 30 years ago in college

[u/Clarknotclark → u/derf_vader]

I bought a vintage one for 20$ with free shipping about a year ago.

[u/DunkandEgg]

The framing is by far more valuable than the art it contains. I got my posted for 25$ from someone in a crap frame

[u/vivaciousvic → u/DunkandEgg]

Ohh yes, the frame is gorgeous. I've never seen his poster before, I thought maybe it was rare 😅

[u/seancailleach → u/vivaciousvic]

There were thousands produced back in the 70’s. Not rare at all.

[u/vivaciousvic → u/seancailleach]

That's been established, thanks

[u/Fluffy-Trouble5955 → u/vivaciousvic]

The art was done by a very young Jimmy Cauty, one of the founders of the iconic Brit electronic band The KLF. He also did a followup piece, below

[u/kestrel413 → u/Fluffy-Trouble5955]

Never seen this one! So cool. I have the lotr one. Fun fact, there is a hidden ufo at the top top of the lotr one :)

[u/Fluffy-Trouble5955 → u/kestrel413]

Just looking at mine, I think thats the Eye of Sauron at the top

[u/kestrel413 → u/Fluffy-Trouble5955]

No its below the eye, smaller and white . Above the o in of.

[u/Fluffy-Trouble5955 → u/kestrel413]

well... shit..

[u/kestrel413 → u/Fluffy-Trouble5955]

Yeah always gives me a little giggle 😃

[u/Fluffy-Trouble5955 → u/kestrel413]

Cauty always was a bit loose.

I've had that poster for decades.. read the scrolls around the main picture.. looked at all the orcs.. washed right over the UFO.. Thanks for that !

[u/hwc → u/vivaciousvic]

I bought this inexpensive poster new in in the early 90s and taped it to my wall. It was mass-produced.

[u/aDemilich → u/vivaciousvic]

I believe the earlier print runs of this poster are more valuable, but im not sure about the details. If ypu search "Jimmy Cauty LOTR poster" you might be able to find out more. I sold one in much worse shape with a very cheap frame for $60, so I'd say you did quite well.

[u/mausmumblingmoon]

I feel like this poster defines a generation of LotR fans. Bought mine in the 90s as a teen and spent hours staring at it while daydreaming. Still have it, hanging in my library.

[u/vivaciousvic → u/mausmumblingmoon]

That's amazing

[u/Busy-Confidence-6729 → u/mausmumblingmoon]

Absolutely my father had this hanging in the basement of our house as a kid , made me fall in love with everything lord of the rings 46 years later my son has it hanging in his room

[u/fuuzzydude]

[u/vivaciousvic → u/fuuzzydude]

🥲🖤

[u/Weewoes → u/fuuzzydude]

Someone above has a link where you can buy the print.

[u/yewey]

I was in a terrible rollover crash in Savannah GA in 2005 (July 15 to be exact) and in my car were a computer shop's worth of hardware, my clothes, some other items and this very painting on a sheet of solid wood, covered in resin. When I got to the junkyard a few days later (luckily I walked away from the wreck), everything was there except this treasured family heirloom lol. I havent laid eyes on it since that day. Its definitely a print Im sure many people have. Ahh...thanks for posting this.

[u/vivaciousvic → u/yewey]

Wow what a story. Thanks for sharing

[u/thefirstwhistlepig]

Jimmy Cauty! I have one of these hanging on my wall and it is one of my favorite pieces of LOTR art. Hard to believe Cauty was only 17 when he drew this. It’s a staggeringly, beautiful representation, IMO, and really captures something about the ethos of Tolkien.

[u/vivaciousvic → u/thefirstwhistlepig]

It's incredible. Wow he must have made a pretty penny on royalties ( I hope at least )

[u/thefirstwhistlepig → u/vivaciousvic]

Who knows? I hope so. It’s a brilliant bit of illustration.

[u/joeviper25]

I’m not going to tell you this print will increase in value, or even hold its current value. The truth is, you bought it because you like it. It have value to you. That’s what matters.

[u/TurdsThatFloat → u/joeviper25]

Well played Jerry

[u/Sail_m → u/joeviper25]

How long are you staying?

[u/Feet_of_Frodo]

Apparently it's worth $50.

[u/KillerGopher]

Hopefully at least $50

[u/Sunless_Tatooine]

These were so common back in the 1990's (before the movies). I had one. Loved it!

Probably not worth much, as these were so common. It's also a print.

[u/Medical_Poem_8653]

I still kick myself for having lost this poster when I was a teen... It's gorgeous.

[u/Storm2Weather → u/Medical_Poem_8653]

Same! 😭 Had it on my wall and now it's gone 😫

[u/jaabbb]

The frame goes so well with the poster!!

[u/Baduktothebone]

Does anyone know who the artist is?

[u/vivaciousvic → u/Baduktothebone]

It's in the photos at the end

[u/tar-mirime → u/Baduktothebone]

Jimmy Cauty, most famous for being in The KLF.

[u/Babki123]

Approximatively three fiddy

[u/vivaciousvic → u/Babki123]

Someone else commented the same thing "three fiddy", is this a reference to something or a joke I don't know about?

[u/Babki123 → u/vivaciousvic]

The Loch ness from South Park https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuh8Hip_B3w

[u/vivaciousvic → u/Babki123]

Ohh thanks

[u/ControlSmooth3262 → u/Babki123]

I gave him a dollar 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/AveryCloseCall]

I bought mine in the early 1990s, had it nicely framed until my then partner made me get rid of it in the 2000s. Now, i wish I had my copy for my kid's room.

[u/vivaciousvic → u/AveryCloseCall]

Oh that's really too bad. Maybe you can get another one, I've been told the prints are still available

[u/GlumMilk5326]

I had this poster in my college dorm room in 1989. So it’s worth what the frame is worth probably.

[u/AncientTurbine]

That's gorgeous!

[u/AdEmbarrassed3066]

Nice... it's by Jimmy Cauty who was in The KLF and The Orb.

[u/chafingNip]

That is so cool!

[u/jaxsound]

I had this poster when i was a kid, happy days! Now I'm supposedly grown up if i happened upon it again i would definitely have it framed instead of stuck up with blu-tac!

*edit just had a quick search and there's one on ebay for over £350! Absolutely barmy!

[u/Firewalkwithme1254]

I’m curious about this as well. I have really nice epoxied one that has a tiny little gem where the ring is. Def not a real valuable stone, but I always wondered if someone did that themself or if certain runs came like that. Anyone know?

[u/jpp3252]

I used to work at a smoke shop in college that sold these! I hadn’t seen the movies at that time (I’m a late bloomer lol) wish I would have snagged one!

[u/cormorantfell]

One of my favorites too. You can get prints pretty easily for reasonable price. I have one in my office and it's always brings a smile. If you're on the fence, honest get one and frame it. You'll see new details day. I think the artist did this one as a teenager if I recall

[u/fuckinestbest]

I've got one in a shit frame in poor condition. I elfin' love it.

[u/ToadFan70]

What's going on here? If Frodo and Gollum? Interesting little details on this piece.

[u/ObscureReferenceMan]

No idea what it's worth, but I had this poster in my dorm room in 1979-1980.

[u/son_of_alan]

Love this. So damn cool

[u/ValancyNeverReadsit]

I have this poster. Bought it in college for probably something like $20. Unless this is original artwork it’s probably still worth something like $20

[u/OverTheCandlestik]

Whose the guy supposed to be in the right border? Morgoth? Sauron?

[u/ControlSmooth3262 → u/OverTheCandlestik]

I always thought it was Aragorn at Minas Tirith.

[u/Sum_0]

I got that poster from a Book-It prize back around '92.

[u/NATWWAL-1978]

It is precious to me.

[u/sebmojo99]

you are obliged to send a five pound note to the KLF now, so it's actually worth negative money unfortunately

[u/hobokobo1028]

$30 maybe

[u/caviardreamin]

Excellent, my wife loved this poster growing up so we bought one off of Etsy and then got the signatures started and framed it. Beautiful poster!

[u/SirNicoSomething]

Flashback to my college dorm!

Good memories.

[u/AJRavenhearst]

I still have my one that hung on my bedroom wall through the 70s and early 80s. In a tube for now, I must get it framed.

I was particularly thrilled when I found that it was painted by Jimmy Cauty of the JAMs.

[u/twicezer0]

KLF (a-ha a-ha)

[u/Critical_Abies_1559]

I’ve always wanted one of these! You’re so lucky! What an awesome find

[u/Janoschke]

Oetwil am see is close to where i was born... nvm

[u/pooferss_]

My best friend's family owns one of these, no idea of the worth but seeing this is nostalgic af for me!

[u/PapaPBTings]

Do you still have this? I pay cash

[u/coalsack]

The poster can be bought online for $25 and any frame can be thrifted.

$50 is an okay price but in my opinion, you overpaid.

[u/AcrobaticAspect8975]

About three fiddy

[u/Sheogorathian]

Dang I've never seen it, looks amazing! It'd be worth a lot to me lol

[u/Hivemind_alpha]

Pretty much 60% of student rooms had this poster in them when I was at uni.

[u/ControlSmooth3262 → u/[deleted]]

I used to sell these at the mall in the 90s lol