Bilbo gives Frodo STING
Bilbo & Frodo — The Passing of Adventure
Original Production Cel Setup
Featuring Frodo Baggins and Bilbo Baggins
From The Lord of the Rings
Hand-painted cel (ink & paint on acetate) over painted background
Approx. 12-field animation formatSequence: IA
Scene: 13
Cel: #215 2 Cels
Size: 11" x 13"
- Original Hand Drawn, Hand Painted Animation Production Cel on acetate used in the 1978 Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings.
- This Original Animation Production Cel is an actual frame in the feature film and is an historical piece of art. By acquiring this art you agree to be the caretaker of a significant piece of animation history for future generations to experience.
- This exact cel is THE ONLY ONE IN EXISTENCE IN THE WORLD. It is NOT a reproduction.
- Paired with a laser Background from the film.
- Ralph Bakshi Signs for proof of authenticity from Bakshi Private Archives.
Bilbo Baggins gifts his Elven sword, Sting, to
Frodo as he prepares to leave Rivendell.
This key exchange occurs during their reunion in Elrond's house. Along with the sword, Bilbo also gives Frodo a coat of mithril mail. These gifts are presented just before the Fellowship departs on the quest to destroy the One Ring.
- The Reunion: Bilbo and Frodo reunite after Frodo is healed by Elrond following the flight to the Ford of Bruinen.
- The Sword's Properties: Sting glows with a blue light when Orcs or Goblins are nearby, a feature first noted by Sam in the Mines of Moria.
- A Second Gift: The mithril shirt given alongside Sting later saves Frodo's life when he is stabbed by an Orc in Moria.
Within the luminous halls of Rivendell, Bilbo Baggins and Frodo stand together in a quiet and deeply personal moment of reunion and transition. Bilbo, turned slightly inward and reflective, appears aged and contemplative—no longer the spirited adventurer of old, but a figure gently stepping away from the path he once walked. Frodo, facing outward yet visibly thoughtful, stands at the threshold of that very same path, soon to carry it far beyond anything Bilbo could have imagined.
This scene exists within one of the most meaningful exchanges in the story: Bilbo’s passing of the Elven blade Sting, along with the mithril coat, to Frodo. While the act itself may occur just beyond this exact frame, the emotional weight of that transfer is fully present here. It is a moment suspended between generations—where one journey closes and another begins.
Bakshi’s interpretation of Rivendell is rendered with organic, flowing architecture and diffused light, creating an environment that feels both sacred and transitional. The openness of the space contrasts with the inward nature of the characters, reinforcing the quiet gravity of the moment. The physical distance between Bilbo and Frodo within the composition subtly mirrors their shifting roles—mentor and successor, past and future.
For collectors, scenes featuring both Bilbo and Frodo are especially significant, as they capture the direct lineage of the Ring’s burden and the passing of experience, memory, and responsibility. This is not a moment of action, but of inheritance—one of the most profound thematic currents in Tolkien’s work.
Technically, the piece highlights the clarity of character animation layered over a richly detailed Rivendell interior, with particular attention to architectural design and atmospheric light—hallmarks of the film’s most refined sequences.
A rare and intimate image, this work captures the quiet transfer of destiny—where adventure is no longer a story to be told, but a burden to be carried forward.

