The Hobbit by Tolkien: First Edition (290 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. We are thrilled to offer the most unique set of books in our 25 years as a specialist Tolkien dealer, the first four editions of the Hobbit in the original very good to near fine condition, unrestored dust jackets. It is the minor wear and tear that provides the authenticity of unrestored. Too good to be true, is too good to be true! Only once before have all four been available, (by us as well, see our TV appearances). Please ask for more photos. Allen & Unwin 1st/1st 1937, 1st/2nd 1937, 1st/3rd 1942 and 1st/4th 1946 printings. Fine 1st/1st Hobbits, if they appear on the market, now exceed £400,000, but nearly all have some repair or have some restoration which seriously reduced their future value. There may come a day when restored is worth the same as unrestored is now, but that day has not come yet. You can still find them, but only every few years. The 2nd,3rd and 4th with unrestored, unrepaired dust jackets once appeared fairly regularly, but we have not seen them for many years, except with repaired or restored jackets. These go into collections, including legacy libraries and frankly, never come out! Do not expect a flood of Hobbits! One of the significant features of the first ten or so printed Hobbits was the text was changed to align it as the prequel to The Lord of the Rings. The first four Hobbits were the original text with gradual modifications until the first printing 1951 2nd edition Hobbit with major changes to chapter five among others. Goblins became Orcs for example. So few of the 1942 dust jackets exist, it was thought for a time they were produced without them due to paper shortages during the war. 400 were lost in a fire during the blitz of London and half the sheets/pages were used to produced the Children's book club edition of the same year. The 1st/1st Hobbit used no colour illustrations, the 1st/2nd and later used colour. The 3rd and 4th were printed on war-time paper making the books half the thickness, with full sized dustjackets, but the cheap paper made the jackets subject rapid wear and damage especially the 3rd printing. These are just some of the features of the first four. The Hobbit First edition: Possibly uniquely in children's publishing, when The Hobbit came out in 1937, it contained quite a few things in that first edition that are much different to the book as we know it now in the second and later editions. Some of the changes were made because The Hobbit was being drawn into the larger stories in Middle earth and was becoming far more serious and darker. Firstly, in that first edition Bilbo at the Unexpected Party had sandwiches with tomatoes in them - tomatoes are of course from the New World, so Tolkien changed that in the second edition to pickles. Indeed, Tolkien spends quite some time in Letters explaining how potatoes might have existed, as well as tobacco - both New World varieties. In this case, Tolkien cleverly used 'taters' and 'pipeweed', thus obscuring the origin of the plants in question. The second and largest and most significant change was to the chapter 'Riddles in the Dark', where the last section of the chapter is completely different. Gollum, having lost the riddle game to the Hobbit, apologises profusely and offers to lead Bilbo out as compensation for the gift he would have given him (presumably the magic ring). He takes him so far along the tunnels, and then gets suspicious, and Bilbo then has to get past him - overhearing Gollum's talk to himself that reveals that the ring is capable of making him invisible. The Hobbit originally in 1937 had no link to Middle earth and the magic ring was just an equaliser device to give Bilbo some edge and extra powers to become 'heroic' when he was not brave or very resourceful. Note, we will hand deliver these books, at cost, anywhere in the world. They are too valuable to ship.…

First edition, first issue of Tolkien's classic tale, "among the very highest achievements of childrenâs authors during the 20th centuryâ (Carpenter & Pritchard, 530), one of only a handful of presentation copies reserved for Tolkien to give to family members, colleagues and close friends. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece and 9 full-page uncolored illustrations after drawings by Tolkien. Presentation copy, inscribed by Tolkien on the flyleaf, "Mr. & Mrs. Livesley & Edgar with best wishes from J.R.R. Tolkien." The recipients, the Livesleys and their son Edgar, ran the Kennaway House, a Regency town house in the village of Sidmouth, East Devon which Tolkien used as a summer holiday home and the surrounds of which inspired the landscapes, flora, and fauna of The Shire", the region of Middle-earth inhabited hobbits first introduced in The Hobbit. Situated on the rocky coast of the rustic Devon countryside, the village of Sidmouth has featured in a number of famed literary works, as "Stymouth" in Beatrix Potter's children's story The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (1930), "Idmouth" in Thomas Hardy's Wessex, "Baymouth" in William Makepeace Thackeray's Pendennis, and "Spudmouth" in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. English poet Elizabeth Barrett lived in the town from 1832 until 1835. In the final stages of The Hobbit's revisions, Tolkien notably penned a list of special recipients he wished to present copies of the first printing of the book to upon publication, including C.S. Lewis, R.W. Chambers, R.W. Chambers, Simone dâArdenne, George S. Gordon, Elaine Griffiths, his aunts Mabel Mitton and Florence Hadley, and the Livesleys who hosted him at the Kennaway House. Published on September 21, 1937, the first printing of the Hobbit constituted only 1500 copies and completely sold out by December 15th. Near fine in a very good first issue supplied dust jacket with chips to the extremities. Housed in a custom full morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association of the most highly coveted work in literature. "In enchanted Middle-earth, a small, comfort-loving Hobbit is awakened from his slumbers by a visitor who tells of lost treasure. Before Bilbo Baggins returns home again, he journeys past wizards and elves, talkative trees and treasure-guarding dragons, all swirling in cosmic battle between good and evil. J.R.R. Tolkien's fully realized fantasy world won over generations of children, and dazzled adults with its deft interweaving of medieval legend and made-up languages, maps, and creatures. Tolkien legitimized the modern fantasy genre, and provided the 1960's counterculture with antiwar, back-to-Eden icons" (NYPL Books of the Century 199). âProfessor Tolkienâs epic of Middle Earth⦠[is] one of [the twentieth] centuryâs lasting contributions to that borderland of literature between youth and age. There are few such booksâ"Gulliverâs Travels, The Pilgrimâs Progress, Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote, Alice in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willowsâ"what else?⦠[They are] destined to become this centuryâs contribution to that select list of books which continue through the ages to be read by children and adults with almost equal pleasureâ (Eyre, 67, 134-5). "All historians of childrenâs literature⦠agree in placing [The Hobbit] among the very highest achievements of childrenâs authors during the 20th centuryâ (Carpenter & Prichard, 254, 530). Published on September 21, 1937 in a first printing of only 1500 copies, The Hobbit had completely sold out by December 15. âIt may have been a surprise to its publishers that a work as sui generis as The Hobbit should have been a popular success, but once it was a success there can have been no surprise in the clamor for a sequel. Tolkien had opened up a new imaginative continent, and the cry now was to see more of itâ (Shippey, 49). …

First edition, first issue of Tolkien's classic tale, "among the very highest achievements of childrenâs authors during the 20th centuryâ (Carpenter & Prichard, 530). Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece and 9 full-page uncolored illustrations after drawings by Tolkien. Published on September 21, 1937 with a first printing of only 1500 copies, The Hobbit had completely sold out by December 15. Near fine in a unrestored very good first-issue dust jacket after a design by Tolkien with the hand-correction to "Dodgeson" on the rear inside flap, priced 7s. 6d on the front flap, corners slightly creased and chipped, spine ends chipped. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box by the Harcourt Bindery. Founded over a century ago in 1900, the Harcourt Bindery is the oldest and largestÂtraditional bindery in America exclusivelyÂdevoted toÂfine traditional leather bookbinding by hand.ÂRare and desirable without any of the usual restoration. "In enchanted Middle-earth, a small, comfort-loving Hobbit is awakened from his slumbers by a visitor who tells of lost treasure. Before Bilbo Baggins returns home again, he journeys past wizards and elves, talkative trees and treasure-guarding dragons, all swirling in cosmic battle between good and evil. J.R.R. Tolkien's fully realized fantasy world won over generations of children, and dazzled adults with its deft interweaving of medieval legend and made-up languages, maps, and creatures. Tolkien legitimized the modern fantasy genre, and provided the 1960's counterculture with antiwar, back-to-Eden icons" (NYPL Books of the Century 199). âProfessor Tolkienâs epic of Middle Earth⦠[is] one of [the twentieth] centuryâs lasting contributions to that borderland of literature between youth and age. There are few such booksâ"Gulliverâs Travels, The Pilgrimâs Progress, Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote, Alice in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willowsâ"what else?⦠[They are] destined to become this centuryâs contribution to that select list of books which continue through the ages to be read by children and adults with almost equal pleasureâ (Eyre, 67, 134-5). All historians of childrenâs literature⦠agree in placing [The Hobbit] among the very highest achievements of childrenâs authors during the 20th centuryâ (Carpenter & Prichard, 254, 530). Published on September 21, 1937 in a first printing of only 1500 copies, The Hobbit had completely sold out by December 15. âIt may have been a surprise to its publishers that a work as sui generis as The Hobbit should have been a popular success, but once it was a success there can have been no surprise in the clamor for a sequel. Tolkien had opened up a new imaginative continent, and the cry now was to see more of itâ (Shippey, 49). …

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition, First Printing with the words "FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1937" printed on the copyright page. This First Issue dustjacket has the First Issue point with the correction of the 'e' in the 'Dodgeson' present on the rear flap. This original dustjacket is rich in color with some light chipping to the spine and edges. The book is bound in the publisher's green cloth and is in great shape. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A wonderful copy with this scarce unrestored First Issue dustjacket. We buy Tolkien First Editions. …

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Allen and Unwin 1946, first edition, 4th printing of the 1st Edition with the original unrestored dust jacket. Thin war-time paper book and jacket meant greater damage by attrition even by normal use and handling. It is hard to find these now in original condition without repair and restoration. Minor tattering to jacket spine head with paper loss. No serious damage to book. Collecting Tolkien first editions is like classic car collecting, restored automobiles have a lot of value among collectors, but the unrestored originals are worth exponentially more, millions verses thousands. However in Tolkien books, as original dust jackets with minimum damage still come up, there is not yet such a price differential. Invest in original, unrepaired, unrestored while you still can. It will pay off hugely much later. The general rule: if there is no damage or wear and looks too good to be true, its been restored. I'm surprised to see major auction houses selling restored dust jackets without a mention? The Hobbit First editions compared with second edition: Firstly, in that first edition Bilbo at the Unexpected Party had sandwiches with tomatoes in them - tomatoes are of course from the New World, so Tolkien changed that in the second edition to pickles. Indeed, Tolkien spends quite some time in Letters explaining how potatoes might have existed, as well as tobacco - both New World varieties. In this case, Tolkien cleverly used 'taters' and 'pipeweed', thus obscuring the origin of the plants in question. The second and largest and most significant change was to the chapter 'Riddles in the Dark', where the last section of the chapter is completely different. Gollum, having lost the riddle game to the Hobbit, apologises profusely and offers to lead Bilbo out as compensation for the gift he would have given him (presumably the magic ring). He takes him so far along the tunnels, and then gets suspicious, and Bilbo then has to get past him - overhearing Gollum's talk to himself that reveals that the ring is capable of making him invisible. The Hobbit originally in 1937 had no link to Middle earth and the magic ring was just an equaliser device to give Bilbo some edge and extra powers to become 'heroic' when he was not brave or very resourceful. Since changing the text would have required all the metal plates for printing being recast anew, this was no small change.…

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition, First Printing with the bowing hobbit image printed on the title page. A beautiful copy. This ORIGINAL dustjacket is rich in color with a small chip to the back of the dustjacket NOT effecting any lettering. This First Issue dustjacket has the publisher's $2.50 printed price present on the front flap with minor wear to the edges. The book is bound in the publisher's tan cloth and is excellent condition and appears UNREAD. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A lovely copy in collector's condition. We buy Tolkien First Editions.…

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Allen and Unwin 1946, first edition, 3rd printing of the 1st Edition with the original unrestored dust jacket. Arguably more scarce with an original jacket than a 1st/1st. Some number were destroyed in a warehouse fire in London during the war. Some of the sheets were used to produce the Book Club edtion, see my other listing. Thin war-time paper book and jacket meant greater damage by attrition even by normal use and handling. The dust jacket paper is very brittle and dried out, especially on the spine. This happens with many of the early Hobbits as they were frankly cheaply printed. Extensive acid free tape has been applied to the reverse of the spine jacket to stopped further tearing and paper chips falling off and being lost. This we conservation repair, not restoration, as it is all still the original jacket. This is not as visible from the image side and actually looks pretty good overall. Book has no flaws or damage. This copy could be restored. Collecting Tolkien first editions is like classic car collecting, restored automobiles have a lot of value among collectors, but the unrestored originals are worth exponentially more, millions verses thousands. However in Tolkien books, as original dust jackets with minimum damage still come up, there is not yet such a price differential. Invest in original, unrepaired, unrestored while you still can. It will pay off hugely much later. The general rule: if there is no damage or wear and looks too good to be true, its been restored. I'm surprised to see major auction houses selling restored dust jackets without a mention. The Hobbit First editions compared with second edition: Firstly, in that first edition Bilbo at the Unexpected Party had sandwiches with tomatoes in them - tomatoes are of course from the New World, so Tolkien changed that in the second edition to pickles. Indeed, Tolkien spends quite some time in Letters explaining how potatoes might have existed, as well as tobacco - both New World varieties. In this case, Tolkien cleverly used 'taters' and 'pipeweed', thus obscuring the origin of the plants in question. The second and largest and most significant change was to the chapter 'Riddles in the Dark', where the last section of the chapter is completely different. Gollum, having lost the riddle game to the Hobbit, apologises profusely and offers to lead Bilbo out as compensation for the gift he would have given him (presumably the magic ring). He takes him so far along the tunnels, and then gets suspicious, and Bilbo then has to get past him - overhearing Gollum's talk to himself that reveals that the ring is capable of making him invisible. The Hobbit originally in 1937 had no link to Middle earth and the magic ring was just an equaliser device to give Bilbo some edge and extra powers to become 'heroic' when he was not brave or very resourceful. Since changing the text would have required all the metal plates for printing being recast anew, this was no small change.…

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien First Edition, First Impression (1937) A True First Printing of J.R.R. Tolkien s The Hobbit, Published by George Allen & Unwin in 1937 An exceptional and rare first edition, first impression of J.R.R. Tolkien s The Hobbit, the novel that introduced Middle-earth to the world. A rare and highly desirable first edition, first impression of The Hobbit, published by George Allen & Unwin in 1937. One of only 1,500 copies printed. Bound in the publisher s original green cloth with Tolkien s Mountains and Dragon motif stamped in blue to the front and rear boards, as well as to the spine. This copy is preserved in its original state without any signs of restoration. The green cloth shows general wear, with some fading and minor discoloration. The spine is slightly darkened, and the cloth exhibits minor rubbing along the edges. The corners are gently bumped, and the lower edge of the front board has a small area of wear. The blue decoration and lettering remain visible, though the spine s stamping is slightly dulled with age. The cloth shows minor handling marks, but no major stains or significant damage is evident. The endpapers feature Tolkien s signature maps, with Thror s Map at the front and Wilderland at the rear. The maps are clean and remain well-preserved, with no inscriptions, writing, or marks. The inner hinges are firm, with no splitting or weakness visible. The book maintains a strong and tight binding, with no loose or detached pages. The pages are remarkably clean for a book of this age. There is mild toning consistent with age, but no significant foxing or staining is present. The text is crisp and legible throughout. The book retains all ten of Tolkien s black-and-white illustrations, including the frontispiece The Hill: Hobbiton across the Water. The illustrations remain clear and well-defined. No pencil corrections, owner inscriptions, or library markings were observed. The fore-edge and bottom edge show natural age toning but remain clean overall. No signs of water damage or restoration were detected. An authentic first impression of The Hobbit, in its original cloth binding. A well-preserved copy with strong appeal for collectors and Tolkien enthusiasts.…

First colour-illustrated edition, preceded only by the first printing. Only 2,300 copies were printed of this edition, of which 423 copies in sheets were destroyed in the bombing of London in 1940. The coloured versions of the illustrations "had been commissioned for their first American edition, and were in the American publisher's hands when Allen & Unwin decided to include them in the second impression. The original art was called back for reproduction in Britain, then returned across the Atlantic" (Hammond & Anderson p. 15). The first edition was published on 21 September 1937 and the first impression of 1,500 copies sold out by December. Hammond & Anderson A3. Octavo. (185 x 131 mm). Colour frontispiece, 4 full-page plates from drawings by the author (3 in colour, one monochrome: "Mirkwood"), 8 full-page line drawings. Finely bound by the Chelsea Bindery in green morocco, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, raised bands, single gilt rule to covers, an elaborate onlay to both the front and back covers, twin rule to turn-ins gilt, burgundy endpapers with the original endpapers bound in at front and back, edges gilt. Housed in a green cloth flat-back box by the Chelsea Bindery. The occasional minor blemish, an excellent copy. …

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1946 First Edition, Fourth Impression, 1946: A Fine/Near fine copy in the ORIGINAL EXTREMELY SCARCE DUST JACKET. War time paper book and jacket. Rare in this condition, and with the original jacket. The first printing of The Hobbit was issued on 21st September 1937 with a print run of only 1500 copies. The book was an immediate success and sold out within months. The First Printing was the only printing in which all the artistic illustration plates are in black and white. The second impression was printed in December the same year in an edition of 2300 copies (423 of which were destroyed at the warehouse of the binder, Key and Whiting, in the bombing of London on November 7th 1940) and was the first printing to convert four of the author's black and white illustration plates to color. These were initially commissioned for and later published in the American edition. [Hammond A3a.] Then both the 3rd and 4th impressions were printed using wartime paper. These first four printings of The Hobbit were all textually the same as the first printing, but after the fourth impression and beginning with the fifth impression, Tolkien changed some of the text in chapter 5 "Riddles In The Dark" to allow for a transition to his sequel trilogy "The Lord Of The Rings". Very early printings of this title in this condition, have become extremely scarce in their original jackets. A lovely Fine/Near Fine clean book. The boards have vibrant green cloth withOUT the common fraying or brittleness and withOUT the common age toning. Instead, the cloth is all present, and in supple condition, and overall clean and fresh in appearance. The book has sharp corners, and a square tight binding. The original decorative map end papers are present and in perfect condition, being clean and bright with no owner names, no inscriptions and no bookplates. The book is in beautiful clean condition with but some foxing to the outer page block and very top edge of the first few pages (including the title page, copyright page.), otherwise the pages are clean, crisp and flat with no handling marks, no stains, and no bent pages. A remarkably clean fresh book in excellent collectible condition. Please see all the images. The exceedingly scarce Near Fine original 4th impression dust jacket has benefited from repair to a few intact tears and a few small chips to the outer edges. As such the dust jacket presents in near fine condition being overall bright and with strong vibrant colors, and with but only some very slight sunning to the spine (as quite common with this jacket). The jacket is neatly price clipped, but has the requisite "Fourth Impression" statement showing to the front flap. The jacket has no rips, no chips, no edgewear, no stains and no foxing, Please see the numerous detailed images. A superb first edition, fourth impression printing in very clean condition. All images available in high resolution format upon request. The value of this copy is in the original jacket which is 10x scarcer than the book itself, and the few copies in the original jacket that come up for sale have usually instead have seen extensive restoration. 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. The book has been recognized as "Most Important 20th-Century Novel (for Older Readers)", and The Hobbit was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction of the year (1938). ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our store for other fantasy and SciFi titles. .…

Hard Cover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Included. First American Edition. Illustrated by the author, with four color and nine black-and-white illustrations. First American edition, first printing, first state, with "1938" and bowing hobbit to title page, incorrect map placement on list of illustrations, and Chapter VII mistakenly titled "Chapter VI" on p. 118. Publisher's tan cloth, with front board and spine lettered in blue, bowing hobbit in red to front board, and pictorial map endpapers printed in red and white; in its original pictorial dust jacket printed primarily in white, blue, and red, with Tolkien's Hobbiton illustration to front panel, Smaug illustration to rear panel, and $2.50 price to front flap. Near fine book, with light spotting to spine, top left corner of rear board slightly bumped, an area of light staining to front free endpaper, and bookplate of Ralph D. Hartman to verso of front free endpaper; very good unclipped dust jacket, with discrete professional restoration to spine ends and panels (tissue reinforcement to edges and verso of folds, color added to edges of panels and spine ends), edges with light toning, soiling to spine, panels exceptionally clean and bright. Overall, a splendid copy of one of the most iconic and popular books of the 20th century. Originally published in 1937 in a small initial print run of 1500 copies, The Hobbit is a fantasy children's novel that precedes Tolkien's 1954-1955 epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a well-do-to hobbit with just enough sense of adventure, as he joins the wizard Gandalf and a troupe of thirteen dwarves in a quest to retake the Lonely Mountain, the dwarves' rightful kingdom, from its captor Smaug, a fearsome dragon. Bilbo, hired as the "burglar" of the group despite having none of the necessary qualifications, is initially more a burden than aid, but transforms into an important team member after finding a magic ring that makes him invisible. The plot, which takes place around 150 years before The Fellowship of the Ring, concludes with the Battle of Five Kingdoms, a struggle between good and evil that pits the kingdoms of dwarves, men, and elves against the more sinister goblins and wargs. The Hobbit received immediate critical and commercial success, and Tolkien's publishers requested a sequel-a proposition that developed into The Lord of the Rings. In the trilogy, Tolkien expands upon Bilbo's finding of the magic ring, which proves to be the lost property of the Dark Lord Sauron and inadvertently begins a chain of events that ultimately lead up to the War of the Ring in The Return of the King. After completing The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien made a few substantial edits to The Hobbit to ensure its congruence with the trilogy. Interestingly, Tolkien cites William Morris as a major inspiration for his novels, specifically the interest in Nordic mythology, the hand-drawn illustrations, and emphasis on craftsmanship.…

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.…

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 1st Edition. The Hobbit First American Edition, Early State With Original Dust Jacket A Rare Early Edition of Tolkien s Classic This is an early state of the first American edition of The Hobbit, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1938. The title page features the seated flautist emblem, distinguishing it from the earliest state, which had the bowing hobbit. The dust jacket is present, retaining the original decorative elements, though showing wear. This edition includes Tolkien s four color plates and nine black-and-white illustrations, preserving the unique visual charm of the book s earliest printings. First American Edition, Early State Title page: Seated flautist emblem present, confirming a later early state. Maps: Pasted down, consistent with early states of this edition. Condition: The beige cloth boards are well-preserved with only minor toning. The blue lettering and red dragon motif remain clear. The pages show expected age-related toning but remain clean and intact. The maps at the endpapers are correctly positioned, as per early American printings. The dust jacket, while present, shows significant wear, including edge chipping, creasing, and some loss to the spine. The original $2.50 price is visible. This edition represents an important moment in Tolkien s publishing history, as The Hobbit made its way to an American audience. The presence of the dust jacket, even in worn condition, enhances its collectibility. This is an excellent opportunity for collectors seeking an early state of this beloved fantasy classic. A Beautiful and Collectible Copy.…

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, Museum Street, 1937, FIRST Edition, Second Impression. Full coarse grain morocco green leather binding, with gilt titles and black onlayed decoration, four raised bands to the spine, red winged gilt dragon and gilt and black leather lattice decoration to the front board, the same lattice to the rear board, original map paste downs and end papers. Pages tanned with foxing and other marks throughout (see images), and with some historically folded corners. Illustrated. Full dark green morocco housed in a green quarter leather clamshell box. First colour-illustrated edition, preceded only by the first edition, first impression. Only 2,300 copies were printed of this second impression, of which 423 copies in sheets were destroyed in the London blitz in 1940. The first impression of 1,500 copies had been published in September 1937 and had sold out by December. The coloured illustrations "had been commissioned for the first American edition, and were in the American publisher's hands when Allen & Unwin decided to include them in the second impression. The original art was called back for reproduction in Britain, then returned across the Atlantic" (Hammond & Anderson p. 15). Pagination: 310, [2]pp of adverts. Provenance: no inscriptions or bookplates Approximately 8 ¾ inches (22cm) tall (box), 7 ¾ inches (20cm) tall (book). Condition Report Externally Spine - fine condition - bright and clean with gilt titles, four raised gilt lined bands and gilt decoration to the base, in the middle of the spine is gilt and black leather onlay flag and triangular shapes present on the original cloth bound spine. Joints - fine condition - sound. Corners - fine condition. Boards - fine condition - red and maroon leather onlays to a gilt dragon to the front board and a black leather lattice-work gilt ruled border to both boards. Page edges - fair to good condition - all edges tanned and stained. Binding - very good condition - attractive. Clamshell box - very good condition - minor scratches to the cloth. See above and photos. Internally Hinges - fine condition - sound. Paste downs - good condition - original map end papers, tanned. End papers - good condition - original map end papers, tanned with marks and foxing. Title - good condition - gently tanned with foxing spots. Pages - fair to good condition - with marks, historically folded corners and some foxing throughout. See photos. J.R.R. Tolkien (illustrator).…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1937 First Edition, Second Impression, 1937: A near fine very clean copy. The first printing of The Hobbit was issued on 21st September 1937 with a print run of only 1500 copies. The book was an immediate success and sold out within months. The second impression (of which this copy is one), was printed in December the same year in an edition of 2300 copies (423 of which were destroyed at the warehouse of the binder, Key and Whiting, in the bombing of London on November 7th 1940) and was the first printing to convert four of the author's black and white illustration plates to color. These were initially commissioned for and later published in the American edition. [Hammond A3a.] Please note that today first/firsts are selling for $400,000 and up in an original jacket. This book is in near fine condition for the Second Impression, and received slight restoration only to a small bit of fraying along the very outer edge of the lower spine (not affecting the lettering.just the green cloth edge). Otherwise, the boards are remarkable condition with fresh supple clean cloth with a few small spots of toning, sharp corners and no edgewear. The binding is tight and square. The original end papers are present, and are clean and bright with no owner names, no inscriptions, no bookplates and no bookstore stamps. The internal pages are all clean, bright and flat with no handling marks, no bent pages and no stains. An overall very clean fresh book. Lacking the dust jacket. Please see all the images. A superb very early printing in very clean condition. ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our store for other landmark Fantasy and SciFi titles.…

Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1971), original handwritten letter, signed by the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. One sheet, on his personal stationary, 4to (215 x 155mm.), c/o George Allen & Unwin, London, dated "Corpus Christi [10 June] 1971". Above the letterhead Tolkien pens: "please mark any reply Personal & it will be forwarded unopened." The text in full: "My dear Ladies, I am afraid you will thibnk I have forgotten you; but I have not. I have been much occupied and troubled since our return from the ease of The Belmont. Also, although I ordered the eclosed copies of Verses, some time ago, I temporarily mislaid your addresses - now rediscovered. I now send the two slender books (signed): I hope for your enjoyment, and in any case as a memmento of our meeting ( which I hope may possibly occur again). Please forgive my sending them together to Mrs Robertson, since the book-carton of A.&U. in which they came to me, is much the most handy and quickest form of package. May continued to be "according to the poets", on almost every day to its end, in this favoured corner of England. In fact the weather has only just turned bad. I've even remained in sunshine, immune from storms, in neighbouring counties, until this morning when at 4a.m. a Noachic rain began & is still going oin non-stop (8p.m.). One does not read of the great play-cycles of biblical episodes, that used to be performed on Corpus Christi in the open. being 'washed out'. But no doubt they were sometimes. It may have made the play of Noah more realsitic, but must have damped the roaring rout of King Herod! With best wishes, in which my wife joins. Yours sincerely. Ronald Tolkien". Context: Tolkien and his wife had spent a week in May 1971 at the Belmont Hotel in Sidmouth (see Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (eds), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, 2006, pp.753-4) and commented on the fine weather. There in a letter to his son Christopher on 2 June: 'Our brief holiday to Sidmouth, which was what Dr Tolhurst's advice boiled down to, was very pleasant indeed. We were lucky in our time - in fact the only week available at the hotel - since May was such a wonderful month - and we came in for a "spring explosion" of glory' (Letters, p.323). The "Verses" sent with the letter were copies of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book, published by Allen & Unwin in 1962. The passage describing "Noachic rain" from our letter is published in Humphrey Carpenter (ed.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 1981, where the recipient is named as Phyllis Robertson (no.324a, p.576), although this letter is addressed to two "Ladies". The form of signature used here - "Ronald" as opposed to "J.R.R." Tolkien - is rare and was used for friends only; in 1963 he wrote to his publishers, who proposed reproducing the "Ronald" signature in facsimile, 'I do not and never have used the signature "Ronald Tolkien" as an auctorial signature, and I do not think it suitable for this purpose' (3 February 1964, to Ronald Eames, Tolkien Companion, p.616). Condition: in excellent condition with minimal creasing to edges, particularly the top. First and Fine. Signed by Author(s).…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. George Allen & Unwin Ltd. Publishers. 1937, 1954. London, U.K. First edition and thirteenth printing. Signed by author on half title page. Book in FINE condition, tight and square, sharp corners. Dustwrapper in NEAR FINE condition, original 12s. 6d. net price present on front flap, no chips or damage, unfaded spine, foxing on both flaps. Overall a FINE copy in great collectible condition. Very rare signed. Photos available. $17500. Signed by Author(s).…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1942 First Edition, Third Impression, 1942: A near fine very clean copy, in lovely vibrant cloth. The first printing of The Hobbit was issued on 21st September 1937 with a print run of only 1500 copies. The book was an immediate success and sold out within months. The second impression, was printed in December the same year in an edition of 2300 copies (423 of which were destroyed at the warehouse of the binder, Key and Whiting, in the bombing of London on November 7th 1940) and was the first printing to convert four of the author's black and white illustration plates to color. These were initially commissioned for and later published in the American edition. [Hammond A3a.] The third printing (and fourth impressions) were printed on wartime paper and as such as tend to be quite hard to locate in collectible condition. Please note that today first/firsts are selling for $350,000-$400,000 in an original jacket. This book received a bit of restoration to some very outer spine tip fraying, and presents in near fine/very good plus condition for the Third Impression. The cloth still maintains its strong vibrant colors and is overall very clean with just a bit of rubbing. The book has sharp corners, and the binding is tight and square. The original map end papers are present and clean and bright with no owner names, no inscriptions, no bookplates and no bookstore stamps. The internal pages are all very clean, bright and flat with no handling marks, no bent pages and no stains, but with the typical age toning to the pages due to the wartime paper used. A bit of top stain to the upper edge of the first few pages, likely from the original top stain bleed. An overall very clean fresh book. Lacking the dust jacket. Please see all the images. A superb very early printing in very clean condition. ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our store for other landmark Fantasy and SciFi titles.…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1938 First Edition, First printing, First State:ÂA near fine copy of the FIRST printing, in the FIRST state dated 1938 to the title page with the âbowing elfâ to the title page. (First Printings in the first state have a âbowing elfâ, the second state has a âsitting elf playing the fluteâ). The unrestored book is in the original slightly toned oatmeal cloth boards with sharp corners, and no edgewear but a tiny bit to the outer spine tips. The binding is tight and square and withOUT the cracked hinges which is more typically found with this book. The front and rear end papers are in lovely clean condition with no owner names, no bookstore stamps and no inscriptions, and depicts the map of the âWilderlandâ to the front and rear end papers. The internal pages are very clean with but one or two very faint handling marks, otherwise the internal pages have No handling marks, No stains, and No creased nor bent pages. A remarkably clean fresh book internally with all pages present and firmly bound, including all the color plates and the black and white illustrations. This copy has the bowing elf on the title page which makes this book a True edition, First printing in the FIRST state. A clean example and delightful to read. Please see images. A fantastic clean copy of the first US printing of one of the most important books of the 20th century. ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our store for other landmark Fantasy and SciFi titles.…

Condition: Very Good. First edition, second impression. Publisher and Year : London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1937 Edition : First edition, second impression. Printed in December 1937, just two months after the first impression. In the second impression, the frontispiece was changed from black-and-white to full color, and three new color plates were added. Of the 2,300 copies that were printed, 423 were destroyed when the warehouse was bombed during the Blitz in November 1940. Lacking the scarce dust jacket. (Hammond & Anderson A3) Condition and Description : Octavo, publisher's teal cloth stamped in dark blue, green top stain, 310 pp (+2 pp ads). Illustrated by Tolkien with maps on the endpapers, a color frontispiece, three additional color plates, and eight black-and-white drawings. Cloth faded and stained. Green top stain faded. Staining to the edges of the text block. Hinges firm. Rear endpaper splitting along the gutter, though the underlying hinge remains intact. Binding secure, though a few gutters are lightly exposed. All pages firmly attached. Bookseller ticket to the front pastedown. Contemporary owner's name in pencil to the front blank leaf, dated 1939. Otherwise, it is free of prior owner's markings. Light-to-mild foxing to the preliminary leaves. Small tear to the lower margin of the frontispiece, not affecting the printed image. Occasional thumb soiling, staining, and handling wear to the pages, mostly up to p. 40 and much less thereafter. Stain to the verso of the Mirkwood illustration and the following page (p. 147). Housed in a modern clamshell case stamped in gilt and a facsimile dust jacket preserved in archival mylar. "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." The Hobbit established the blueprint for modern high fantasy. Upon publication, few would have suspected that the novel would leave such a profound impact on literature. Seventeen years later, Tolkien published the first novel in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, another watershed moment in the genre. Inventory ID: 008 - 892 - 303.…

Condition: Very Good. First Edition. First American edition, first state with a bowing hobbit on the title page, and Chapter VII mistakenly titles Chapter VI. Bound in publisher's original buff cloth stamped in blue and red; lacking the dust jacket. Very Good with light marking to bottom of spine, spine ends and corners worn, spine toned. Pages toned, bookplate removal to first blank sheet, several hinges slightly exposed and some sporadic soiling. Tolkien's fantasy masterpiece, with illustrations by the author. …

Condition: Fine. 1st Edition/4th Impression. The Hobbit, first edition, fourth impression. One of 4,000 copies dated 1946, though not published until November 18, 1947. Printed under the lingering wartime restrictions following World War II, generally a fragile edition, but here finely and expertly rebound. Bound in later full green morocco with gilt rules to covers, five raised bands on the spine, gilt compartments and lettering to the spine. Externally fine. With, Thror's Map, as front endpapers and, Wilderland Map, as back endpapers. A color frontispiece and eight black and white illustrations by Tolkien. The interior is clean and clear with no markings, notes, or spotting. Additional photographs available upon request. Note: Book will ship with special handling (subject to availability at time of purchase). Shipping + insurance up to $500 is included. Charged shipping from marketplaces will be refunded, if possible, via their set up. Any additional shipping charges will be handled on a situational basis but may result in an increase to the invoice. Pages: 310 (2) Dimensions: 7(5/8) x 5(3/16) x 1, book; 8 x 5(1/2) x 1(3/8), slipcase .…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1942) The Hobbit or There and Back Again , UK first book club edition using the first edition, third impression sheets, published by The Children s Book Club by arrangement with George Allen & Unwin. Condition: a near fine copy. There are no previous owners inscriptions, names, no bookplates, no stamps. The original chrome yellow boards are in nice shape with a little shelf wear and light tonong to the spine. The lettering on the spine is nicely visible with just a touch of rubbing as shown. Internally clean with no illustrations coloured in as often found. The page block with a whiff of faint foxing spots as shown, otherwise unmarked. The war economy standard paper used for this edition is preserved remarkably well. The original dust jacket is not present. Publication history: In late 1942 George Allen & Unwin printed 1,500 copies of a third impression and 3,000 copies for the children s book club to be sold by Foyles. The sheets were supplied to Foyles unbound and they were bound in cheaper boards without the dragon design familar with the regular trade edition. Also, no maps as endpapers were used. As opposed to Tolkien s own beautiful dust jacket, an orange-red wrapper showing a fat, dandified Bilbo. Tolkien loathed the design so much that it was not repeated again and this book club edition has remained an anomaly in the early publication history of the much loved childrens book. Since the boards used are much thinner and the paper the economy standard it is difficult to find copies that have survived the passage of time in decent condition if at all since book club editions tend to be unloved or discarded. First and Fine.…

Hard Cover. Condition: Near Fine. First American Edition. Illustrated by the author, with four color and nine black-and-white illustrations, and map endpapers printed in red and white. First American edition, first printing, first state, with "1938" and bowing flautist to title page, incorrect map placement on list of illustrations, and Chapter VII mistakenly identified as "Chapter VI" on page 118. Publisher's tan cloth, with front board and spine lettered in blue, and bowing hobbit in red to front board; lacking the scarce original dust jacket. Near fine, with light toning to spine, a touch of soiling to boards, vibrant lettering and decoration to cloth, and a hint of rubbing to spine ends and bottom corners. Overall, an exceptional copy of this classic work, with very clean pages. Housed in a custom black slipcase stamped in gilt. The Hobbit is a fantasy children's novel that precedes Tolkien's 1954-1955 epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a well-do-to hobbit with just enough sense of adventure, as he joins the wizard Gandalf and a troupe of thirteen dwarves in a quest to retake the Lonely Mountain, the dwarves' rightful kingdom, from its captor Smaug, a fearsome dragon. Bilbo, hired as the "burglar" of the group despite having none of the necessary qualifications, is initially more a burden than aid, but transforms into an important team member after finding a magic ring that makes him invisible. The plot, which takes place around 150 years before The Fellowship of the Ring, concludes with the Battle of Five Kingdoms, a struggle between good and evil that pits the kingdoms of dwarves, men, and elves against the more sinister goblins and wargs. The Hobbit received immediate critical and commercial success, and Tolkien's publishers requested a sequel - a proposition that developed into The Lord of the Rings. In the trilogy, Tolkien expands upon Bilbo's finding of the magic ring, which proves to be the lost property of the Dark Lord Sauron and inadvertently begins a chain of events that ultimately lead up to the War of the Ring in The Return of the King. After completing The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien made a few substantial edits to The Hobbit to ensure its congruence with the trilogy. Interestingly, Tolkien cites William Morris as a major inspiration for his novels, specifically the interest in Nordic mythology, the hand-drawn illustrations, and emphasis on craftsmanship. Tolkein, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) (illustrator).…

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. A rare first Children's Book Club edition of The Hobbit using the first edition, third impression sheets by arrangement with George Allen & Unwin. With war economy standard paper. George Allen & Unwin printed 1,500 copies of a third impression and 3,000 copies to be sold by Foyles. The sheets supplied to Foyles were unbound and so the edition was published with cheap, simple boards with no map end papers. Plus a large Bilbo as the illustration on the dust jacket. Tolkien disliked the publication so much that no further book club editions were published. With thinner boards and economy paper there are few numbers of this publication to be found in a decent condition. Original yellow cloth boards with faded gilt lettering on the spine. Tiny hole on the spine. Some spotting and browning within the text. A scarce find. 8vo 310pp.…

Condition: Very Good. First Edition. First American edition, first state with a bowing hobbit on the title page, and Chapter VII mistakenly titles Chapter VI. Bound in publisher's original buff cloth stamped in blue and red; lacking the dust jacket. Very Good, light lean to binding, cloth lightly worn at extremities and lightly soiled. Foxing and tanning to pages, former owner gift inscription and partial card-pocket to preliminary pages, several pages tape-reinforced at gutter and a few creases. Tolkien's fantasy masterpiece, with illustrations by the author.…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1938 First Edition, First printing, Second State:ÂA near fine copy of the FIRST printing, in the second state dated 1938 to the title page with the âsitting elfâ playing the flute. (First Printings in the first state have a âbowing elfâ). The unrestored book is in the original slightly toned oatmeal cloth boards. The book has sharp corners, and no edgewear but a bit of rubbing to a spot on the top edge. The binding is tight and square. The front and rear end papers are in clean condition with no owner names, no bookstore stamps and no inscriptions, and depicts the map of the âWilderlandâ to the front and rear end papers. The internal pages are very clean with No handling marks, No stains, No creased or bent pages. Barest hint of light faded foxing to the first few pages, otherwise No foxing. All pages present, including all the color plates and the black and white illustrations. This copy has the sitting elf playing the flute on the title page which makes this book a True edition, First printing in the second state. A clean example and delightful to read. Please see images. A fantastic clean copy of the first US printing of one of the most important books of the 20th century. ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our store for other landmark SciFi and Fantasy titles.…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Allen and Unwin sold at Foyles Bookstore in London. Book complete, but much wear and tear as printed with war time paper. No dust jacket, facsimile provided free so you could see the orange dust jacket with what some refer to as the Monopoly man Hobbit, very ugly, but an important part of Tolkien history. I have sold only one original jacket of this editions in my 25 years in business. Hundreds of copies of the A&U 1942 3rd printing were destroyed in a warehouse fire during an air raid in London, Thus the Hobbit 1942 3rd printing remains the most scarce, even perhaps more than a 1st/1st. (see my other listing) The reprinting under the Imprint Children's book club allowed A&U to reproduce it . Hard back books were very costly to print so this would have been a financial blow to the publisher and Tolkien himself. As these were for children and cheaply made, few survive and usually found in this worn condition. Various marks and stains, but still whole and solid. A very rare Hobbit. The Hobbit First editions: Possibly uniquely in children's publishing, when The Hobbit came out in 1937, it contained quite a few things in that first edition that are much different to the book as we know it now in the second and later editions. Some of the changes were made because The Hobbit was being drawn into the larger stories in Middle earth and was becoming far more serious and darker. Firstly, in that first edition Bilbo at the Unexpected Party had sandwiches with tomatoes in them - tomatoes are of course from the New World, so Tolkien changed that in the second edition to pickles. Indeed, Tolkien spends quite some time in Letters explaining how potatoes might have existed, as well as tobacco - both New World varieties. In this case, Tolkien cleverly used 'taters' and 'pipeweed', thus obscuring the origin of the plants in question. The second and largest and most significant change was to the chapter 'Riddles in the Dark', where the last section of the chapter is completely different. Gollum, having lost the riddle game to the Hobbit, apologises profusely and offers to lead Bilbo out as compensation for the gift he would have given him (presumably the magic ring). He takes him so far along the tunnels, and then gets suspicious, and Bilbo then has to get past him - overhearing Gollum's talk to himself that reveals that the ring is capable of making him invisible. The Hobbit originally in 1937 had no link to Middle earth and the magic ring was just an equaliser device to give Bilbo some edge and extra powers to become 'heroic' when he was not brave or very resourceful. Since changing the text would have required all the metal plates for printing being recast anew, this was no small change.…

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. The Children's Book Club edition using first edition, third impression sheets by arrangement with George Allen & Unwin. Allen & Unwin printed 1,509 copies of a third impression and a further 3,000 copies to be sold by Foyles. The sheets supplied to Foyles were unbound. The Children's Book Club edition was published with cheap simple boards, no map end papers and no frontispiece. Tolkien disliked the publication so much that no further Book Club editions were published. With thinner boards and war time economy paper there are few numbers of this publication to be found in a decent condition. Original yellow cloth boards with faded gilt lettering and lightly sunned spine. Single neat owner's signature to front free end paper, no further inscriptions or book plates. No foxing, stains or handling marks, text clean an bright throughout. VG+ to Near Fine. An excellent copy. Books are exempt from US tariffs.…

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1955 Seventh Impression, 1955: A Fine book in a near fine original correct dust jacket for this printing. Important Point-What is unique about the 1955 printing: The clipped corners on 1955 printing dust jacket of The Hobbit are specific to this printing. The corners were "clipped" by the publisher, George Allen & Unwin. During production, they raised the book's price and mechanically clipped the corners of the surplus dust jackets from the previous 1955 run, overprinting a new price on the flap. The Publisher's Price Hike: Allen & Unwin decided to increase the price of the book from 9s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. AND Instead of throwing out the surplus 1955 dust jackets from previous impressions, they were repurposed to save costs. Mechanical Clipping: The publisher mechanically clipped (or trimmed) the old price off the corners on both the front and rear flaps. Overprinted Price: The new price of 12s. 6d. was then overprinted below the impression notation on the front flap. Therefore ALL 1955 printings will have this mechanical clip with new 12s. 6d price placed on the flap. The first printing of The Hobbit was issued on 21st September 1937 with a print run of only 1500 copies. The book was an immediate success and sold out within months. Today first/firsts are selling for $300,000 and up in an original jacket, and any early printing in an original dust jacket are highly collectible. This book is in fine/near fine condition with crisp boards, sharp corners and no edgewear. Some slight fading to the outer edges of the the book. The binding is tight and square. The end papers are clean and bright and in perfect condition with no owner names, no inscriptions and no bookplates with a tiny bit of rubbing to the touch edge. The internal pages are clean, bright and flat appearing as unread with no handling marks, no writing, no bent pages and no foxing. Please see all the images. The original dust jacket has benefited from some very slight restoration by an expert paper conservator to the very outer spine and corner tips, and as such and presents as a near fine example. The jacket has strong vibrant colors with a bit of overall toning, but with no edgewear, no rips, no chips, no tears, no rubbing, no fading and no foxing. The jacket is NOT price clipped but has the mechanical clip as described above, and has a stated price of 12s. 6d. net. The jacket is now protected in a new clear removable archival cover. Please see detailed images. A superb very early printing in the original dust jacket. ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our store for other Fantasy and SciFi listings.…