A briefcase used by JRR Tolkien to carry around first drafts of the Hobbit is being sold at auction.

The unique case is among a 'treasure trove' of personal items belonging to the fantasy author that is expected to fetch a combined hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The case was owned and used by Tolkien during his time at Pembroke College in Oxford and alone is expected to sell for over £10k.

Tolkien was a Fellow and the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke between 1925 and 1945, during which time he penned his first masterpiece; The Hobbit.

The special auction, dedicated to the pioneering scribe, includes personal items, rare books and autographs.

Among the lots are his personal door-knocker, a smoking pipe given to him by close friend and fellow author CS Lewis and an incredibly rare first edition of the Hobbit.

Andrew Stowe, of Auctioneum Ltd, which is hosting the sale, said: "To think that his first draft of The Hobbit could have been carried in this very case is remarkable."

"The case comes inscribed by Tolkien to the top with his initials, and his name and college to the inside."

‘At first glance, it is just a simple briefcase. But this was probably used daily by Tolkien and every scuff, ink stain and mark tells a story. It's probably the most important briefcase in modern literature!'

The knocker, in the form of a Viking ship, once adorned Tolkien's home in Headington, Oxford, carries an estimate of £7,000 to £9,000.

Andrew added: "‘The door knocker is such a wonderful item. Tolkien's love for mythology, in particular Norse mythology, carried through to the decoration in his home – and this knocker is a very exciting find. "

"One wonders of the many visitors that used this to gain entry to his home. It's just so very ‘Tolkien''. "

The Tolkien family lived at 76 Sandfield Road in Headington between 1953 and 1968, during which time he wrote and published The Lord of the Rings.

Another highlight in the sale is the smoking pipe gifted to him by

C.S. Lewis.

The small tobacco pipe is engraved underneath with a dedication from Lewis to his friend ‘Tollers', which was the nickname he used.

The two were great pipe smokers, and many photographs of them exist showing them smoking.

Tolkien and Lewis' friendship was a deep, complex one that began at Oxford in 1926. They shared a passion for mythology, language, and storytelling, leading them to found an informal literary group The Inklings.

Lewis was also instrumental in encouraging Tolkien to complete The Lord of the Rings.

Andrew added: "‘The connection between CS Lewis and Tolkien is so famous, and so well known. "

"To have an item that represents this is not only very exciting, but incredibly important."

The pipe carries an estimate of £8,000 to £12,000.

Rare editions of Tolkien's work can also be found in the auction.

A rare ‘true first' edition of his 1937 masterpiece ‘The Hobbit,' is also available and carries an estimate of £16,000 to £18,000.

Andrew added: "It's one of the first 1,500 printed in 1937. The book was so popular that within weeks it sold out, and further print runs were made. "

"This edition features the original black and white illustrations that Tolkien himself created. It's one of the ‘holy grails' of modern literature collecting."

A handwritten poem, ‘Goblin Feet', penned by Tolkien himself is also being sold and is expected to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000.

He originally wrote the poem back in 1915 for his soon-to-be wife, Edith, and it was his first notable published work.

Andrew added: "This handwritten version appears to be a slightly different version to the published work with some minor but notable alterations; for example, the Tolkien has written the word ‘tinkly', whereas this was published as ‘twinkly'."

"Not only was this a special and personal poem written for his beloved Edith, but this actual example was given to his Tolkien's Oxford professor and mentor, Joseph Wright of Exeter College. "

"It's unimaginably rare, and completely unique."

Elsewhere, a third edition of The Hobbit, with its original dust wrapper, and signed by JRR Tolkien is expected to sell for over £7,000.

The items within the auction have been amassed from several private collections up and down the country.

The personal items were gifted by JRR Tolkien to his son, John Francis Tolkien, before being passed over to the vendor's family in the mid 1970s.

Andrew added: "Some of these items are the most important pieces of Tolkien memorabilia to have ever come up for auction. "

"They aren't just valuable, but they are incredibly important pieces of history. We're expecting interest from collectors all over the world."

"It's an incredibly exciting auctionSome of the items in this sale are of huge historical significance, and have never been seen before.'"

‘JRR Tolkien – An Auction Of Precious Items' takes place at Auctioneum Ltd in Bath on Monday 8th December. The full catalogue can be found on their website, auctioneum.co.uk