If there was ever a time to sell of JRR Tolkien's it's now, because there has never been quite so much interest in the author. While the Lord of the Rings trilogy sold incredibly well, and continues to be a favourite among fans, the release of The Hobbit, ten years after the original trilogy opened, marks the beginning of a whole new wave of Tolkien enthusiasts in the making. This is probably why a fireplace once owned by Middle Earth's creator has received a bid of £50,000 on eBay.

Stephen Malton, according to the Bournmouth Echo, is the proprietor of a demolition who demolished a bungalow that used to be owned by the writer. Since the building was destroyed, Malton has uncovered a number of items that he thought would be lucrative - and he wasn't wrong.

As well as the fireplace, among the items were a postcard sent to Tolkien, two lions' heads that have already been sold, a stone griffin and a fairy ornament. 

Near Tolkien's old home is a pub named the Hobbit, which the film's bosses are now suing for the use of the name. Legal costs to fight the battle are mounting, and the pub which has held the name for 20 years rightly wants to keep the name. The sale of all the items has gone towards their defence. When the news was released of the battle it was described as 'Hobbits vs Orcs'.