Hobbit 1st Edition 4th Impression by Tolkien (2 results)

An exceptionally clean, near fine, copy of the fourth (and last) printing of the first edition Hobbit, 1946. The book, with the correct fourth impression dust jacket, has become increasingly rare in this condition. George Allen and Unwin printed just over 4000 copies to war time economy standards, the vast majority of which did not survive and very few surviving in this condition. No signatures, inscriptions, book plates or markings of any kind. Some light foxing to the text block edges, but no stains and no reader handling marks, text clean throughout, binding firm. The boards and spine are beautifully clean and bright, no fading and exceptional as there is no shelf wear, corners sharp, and the green top colour is still present. The very good 4th impression dust jacket retains very good colour, has closed tears, light chipping to the spine corners and is price clipped. Tolkien's eight black and white illustrations are present, along with the colour frontispiece, all are in excellent condition. These are the same as the earlier impressions, with the exception of the very first impression, in which the frontispiece was also black and white. This edition contains the original version of Bilbo's encounter with Gollum, which was revised for the 1951 impression of The Hobbit, to bring it in line with, and in readiness for, the release of The Lord of the Rings.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Condition: Near-Fine. 1st edition: 4th impression, so stated on the limitation page. The only real defect on the book is a small stain on the text block fore edge. The book is very clean inside and out, and the covers and spine are clean and bright. The text is also clean and bright. The maps of Lonely Mountain in the front and Wilderland in the back are also clean and bright, with just a tiny hint of age browning on the edge of the Wilderland free end paper. A 1-inch tear has been closed and repaired at the bottom of pps. 127-128, and the front free endpaper map page has 2 very slight creases, one on the upper right corner, and another on the following blank page. The book has been conserved, and Tolkien's famous original jacket has in addition been expertly restored to near-pristine condition--Please contact us if you are interested in the details of this item's conservation and restoration. The 4th impression was the last printing of Tolkien's original story, before his revisions to the book in the early 1950s to more closely comport with the story of The Lord of the Rings, then in progress.