From way back in 1979!

Checkout the pages from this 1979 The Lord of the Rings Merchandise Catalog which features buttons, t-shirts, belt buckles, poster art and most importantly a letter promoting the ‘second’ Lord of the Rings film by Ralph Bakshi!

Absolutely priceless!

This Lord of the Rings Merchandise Catalog was put out after the 1978 release of what was thought to be part one of Ralph Bakshi’s two part The Lord of the Rings, and when the included letter was sent out to ‘Fellowship Members’ a tentative release date for the second film was included. Amazing!

2 Warps to Neptune post these cool images and a link to The Retro Art Blog, which hosts scans made from this incredible 1979 Catalog of Lord of the Rings merchandise based upon the Ralph Bakshi film. Posters, belt buckles, t-shirts and buttons! Make sure to check out the letter to fans below!

The blogger recounts this story about seeing the film…

“When this animated LOTR film came out in 1978 I was in the 5th grade and took a handful of friends to go see it on my birthday. They weren’t prepared for what they saw. Before this film, anything animated was a “cartoon” and that’s all the animation we were exposed to. My mom dropped off five 11-year-olds to see what was expected to be an action-adventure Disney-type cartoon movie. No one expected all the blood and death! It was awesome!

I had ordered a bunch of stuff from this catalog: poster, keyring, bumpersticker, etc. And out of all that stuff only the “Frodo Lives” bumpersticker remains in my possession”

The Lord of the Rings Merchandise Catalog…

The coolest item however was this letter sent out to fans that promised the second part of Ralph Bakshi The Lord of the Rings film was in production!

“The dawn of the ’80s finds writers hard at work on the script for “The Lord of the Rings”, Part II. Scheduled for release during the spring or summer of 1981, the film will follow Frodo, Sam and Gollum through the conclusion of their journey to Mount Doom.”

Just imagine what it might have been like, if Ralph Bakshi had been able to complete his fully realized The Lord of the Rings!