The Hobbit or, There and Back Again. [Fifth printing.]

Tolkien (J.R.R.)

Published by George Allen & Unwin, 1951

About this Item

SECOND EDITION, colour-printed frontispiece and 7 illustrations by the author, a narrow sliver of water-staining to head of half-title, frontispiece and title-page, gift inscription in pen to half-title,- small spot at head of prelims, pp. 316, crown 8vo, original green cloth, the lettering to backstrip and upper board and designs by the author wrapping round stamped in dark blue, the cloth a little rubbed at extremities and very slightly nicked at foot of backstrip, corners bumped, top edge with faint waterstain, endpaper maps printed in black and red, the front pastedown sometime cracked at hinge and neatly repaired with an inch of webbing showing at foot, bookseller ticket to verso of flyleaf, minor adhesive residue offset to the facing blank, very good. The fifth impression overall, and the first printing of the second edition, correcting, as the author's note preceding the text outlines, 'several minor inaccuracies' (though retaining a handful as well as introducing more) - more significantly, it reworked passages in Chapter V, in order to lay groundwork for 'The Lord of the Rings', which the author was then engaged in writing. 3,500 copies were printed, but it is a scarce, and important, printing of the text. (Hammond & Anderson A3c).

Seller Inventory # 80945

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Hobbit or, There and Back Again. [Fifth printing.]
• Publisher: George Allen & Unwin
• Publication Date: 1951
• Seller catalogs:
  • Modern First Edition