DOMINIC SAMA | Stamps Tolkien's world in illustrations

A current hit on the screen and a best-selling novel, "The Lord of the Rings" is making its postal debut.
Royal Mail of Britain will issue 10 special stamps Feb. 26 to observe the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first two parts in the epic trilogy: "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers."
The stamp designs depict drawings -- nine by the author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien and the other by his son Christopher -- of locations in the book as imagined by Tolkien.
Places created by Tolkien, featured on first-class nondenominated stamps, are Forest of Lothlorien, at the east end of the Misty Mountains; Fangorn Forest, woodlands beneath the southern Misty Mountains; Rivendell, a hidden valley beneath the western Misty Mountains; Orthanc, the impenetrable tower within the Ring of Isengard; Doors of Durin, the west gate of Moria; Middle-earth, the great continent; Minas Tirith, the seven-tiered citadel of the Kings of Gondor; a map from the "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; and the Hall at Bag-End.
Author's background
Tolkien (1892-1973) was born in the Orange Free State, which is the present-day Free State in South Africa, where his father settled to seek an easy life. He didn't find it; he later returned to England.
The scholarly Tolkien was intrigued by languages as a student and spoke several of them, including Greek and Latin. While studying the classics, he invented his own language, creatures and world.
Tolkien worked as a lexicographer and translator and taught at Oxford. He wrote mythological and legendary tales for his four children, tales that became known as the "Silmarillion." He was encouraged to write a sequel for public distribution.
After 12 years of writing, he produced his fantasy world of Middle-earth that matched good against evil. It evolved into "The Lord of the Rings."
Information on the stamps is available at www.royalmail.com.
Additional themes
Royal Mail also announced its preliminary schedule of subjects for special stamps for the remainder of 2004.
Themes include scenic views of Northern Ireland and Wales, and ocean liners to promote the maiden Atlantic voyage of the Queen Mary 2.
Anniversary stamps will note the centenary of the signing of the Entente Cordiale between England and France, the 200th anniversary of the Royal Horticultural Society, the 250th anniversary of the Royal Society of Arts, and the 150th anniversary of Britain's involvement in the Crimean War (1853-1856).
Woodland animals also will be featured before the program closes with the annual Christmas stamps.
XDominic Sama is stamps columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer.