Art collecting

The J.R.R. Tolkien empire goes beyond the mainstream editions of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and his other Middle-earth books. We’ve combed through thousands of listings on AbeBooks to identify eye-catching examples of Tolkienabilia including a map, posters, art and unusual editions.

New to the world of art collecting? Use our art terms guide to help you brush up on all the lingo related to collecting art.

It's easy to understand why people are interested in vintage airline posters that were designed to last for just a few months. The imagery, the colours, and the messaging that air travel was accessible to all still catches the eye today.

Of course, Andy Warhol, maestro of Pop Art, loved cats. How could he not? Fifty years before I Can Has Cheezburger, Warhol was putting cute cats in front of people.

The Chinese Communist Party enforced sweeping social changes across most parts of daily life, and used propaganda posters to explain and promote them.

Lithography has been around for more than 200 years after a bright spark in Germany called Alois Senefelder invented this form of printing. The term comes from the Greek words for 'stone' and 'to write.'

William Blake did so much so well that it is difficult to label him. Therefore, we're going to let bookseller and William Blake expert John Windle summarise the incredible life and impact of this particular Englishman.

It wasn't until several decades after her death at just 47 that Frida Kahlo's art started to be appreciated in a significant way. Before that she was rather unfairly known as just the flamboyant wife of mural painter Diego Rivera. Today, Kahlo is seen as a powerful force in modern art. Learn more about this remarkable artist.

It sounds intimidating but collecting art is one of the most enjoyable forms of shopping. Of course, people never refer to it as shopping - we shop for groceries, we collect beautiful art.

From Egyptian wall paintings and Greek sculptures to the emergence of abstract painting and Pop Art.