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To whom, as he headed overseas to the West, did Frodo bequeath his Elven-cloak and Brooch, unless for sentimental reasons he took them with him to Tol Eressëa, where their powers to do precisely what the wearer intends are no longer much of issues?

Sam. Pippin, and Merry each already had theirs. Bilbo had caught up to his literal age beginning when the One Ring, and its power to delay decay, was destroyed.

Did Frodo's become Mathoms?

I'm referring to Tolkien. not to New Line Cinema.

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    Where did you get "powers to do precisely what the wearer intends" from? What evidence do you have that he didn't take them with him?
    – Spencer
    Commented Jul 3, 2023 at 18:39
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    Going on a journey in late September, he may well have been Wearing the cloak, especially with a sea voyage ahead. And of course the brooch with it.
    – FlaStorm32
    Commented Jul 3, 2023 at 23:26
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    There is a legend in my family that Frodo left his elven socks to my Great Ancestor, if that helps.
    – JohnHunt
    Commented Jul 4, 2023 at 3:03

1 Answer 1

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Tolkien never specifies, but if Frodo bequeathed them to anyone, it was probably Sam

We know that (unlike some of his other clothing which was kept as relics of Gondor), Frodo still kept the cloak and brooch after the War of the Ring was over.

Frodo and Sam, however, went back to ordinary attire, except that when there was need they both wore long grey cloaks, finely woven and clasped at the throat with beautiful brooches; and Mr. Frodo wore always a white jewel on a chain that he often would finger.
The Lord of the Rings - Book VI, Chapter 9 - "The Grey Havens"

Frodo gives over his keys and papers to Sam before he leaves, and we are not told of any exclusions from this.

In the next day or two Frodo went through his papers and his writings with Sam, and he handed over his keys.
The Lord of the Rings - Book VI, Chapter 9 - "The Grey Havens"

Tolkien never says if Frodo took his cloak with him or not to Tol Eressëa, and no specific mention of its fate can be found in any of Tolkien's known writings. But if he didn't take it with him, it would seem that it would be a fair assumption that it went to Sam together with the rest of Frodo's possessions.

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    The only possible answer.
    – Spencer
    Commented Jul 3, 2023 at 21:44
  • So the answer is we don't know? If that is in fact the answer, then that is in and of itself an adequate response, to be accepted in due time.
    – Lesser son
    Commented Jul 4, 2023 at 0:55
  • @Lesserson - Yes. We don't know. I think the two quotes in this answer are still relevant to show what we do know, but they ultimately don't tell us anything specific enough or conclusive enough. And I tend to prefer giving positive answers than negative answers.
    – ibid
    Commented Jul 4, 2023 at 3:33
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    If you're walking from Hobbiton to the Havens in autumn (and then going on a boat) then you're probably going to wear your cloak.
    – OrangeDog
    Commented Jul 4, 2023 at 13:30

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