What was the name of J.R.R. Tolkien’s publisher for the first edition of The Lord of the Rings?

George Allen & Unwin was J.R.R. Tolkien’s publisher for the first edition of The Lord of the Rings.

The British publishing firm issued The Fellowship of the Ring in 1954, followed by The Two Towers and The Return of the King in 1955. The three volumes together formed Tolkien’s long-awaited sequel to The Hobbit, which George Allen & Unwin had published in 1937.

Tolkien had a close working relationship with the firm’s chairman, Stanley Unwin. The publisher’s son, Rayner Unwin, famously reviewed The Hobbit as a child and recommended its publication. Rayner later became involved with Tolkien’s books and publishing decisions.

The name is sometimes shortened to Allen & Unwin, but “George Allen & Unwin” identifies the original company behind the British first edition. Later editions and international releases appeared under different publishers and imprints.