Dutch Tolkien books - part 6: 'De Hobbit' (29.07.05 by Johan Vanhecke) - Comments

In combination to this article there was made an easy to use identification table for 'De Hobbit', giving a fast overview of every different printing, making the identification of your own 'De Hobbit' a lot more easier.

[B1] De hobbit.

1st dutch hobbit
Hobbit based on Allen and Unwin from 1955
De hobbit. Translated by Max Schuchart. Utrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum, 1960. 'Prisma' no. 529. 240 pp. 18.0 x 10.8 cm. The translation is based on the 7th printing of The Hobbit, published by Allen & Unwin in 1955.
The book has the two maps by Tolkien, Thrors kaart (Thror's Map) on pp. [6-7] and Wilderland on pp. [8-9], with the names of places translated into Dutch and calligraphed in tolkien's style.
At the end of the book, on seven unnumbered pages, is a comment on The Lord of the Rings, with a fragment from 'The Breaking of the Fellowship' starting with 'The day came like fire and smoke' and ending with 'seeking here and there among the rocks and trees' - all of this in Dutch, of course.

This edition was reprinted in 1967 (twice), 1968, 1969 (twice), 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. All of these reprints are in the 'Prisma Pocket' series and are identical to the first printing except for minor details in the preliminaries, the cover layout , and the blurb on the lower cover.

An ISBN, 90-274-0043-1, was assigned no later than the 8th printing (1971). The first ten printings, 1960-1973, have the same upper cover illustration by Cees Kelfkens, showing eight dwarves surrounding what is supposed to be a hobbit (with hairy feet) (see image, click for enlargement).

[B2] De hobbit.

[B2] De hobbit
[B2] De hobbit - back
From the 11th printing (1974) onwards we have a new cover, by Bart van Erkel, showing a table with delicacies, and in the background Bilbo's hobbit-hole. The drawing continues onto the lower cover, where we see Smaug in the desert (see images, click for enlargement).
The author's name and the title are printed in black on the upper and lower covers and on the spine. The 11th printing still gives credit for the cover to Cees Kelfkens, but afterwards this was corrected.

From 1976 and on, the publication history of this edition is less clear. Firstly there are two 14th impressions, one in 1976 (hardcover) and one in 1977 (paperback). Then there is a 15th printing in 1979, while the 16th printing is from 1978. This problem originated when the editor and translator decided to update the 'aging' translation from 1960. The translation was revised, now based on the 1966 English edition. The English copyright date given is 1975.

[B3] De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

[B3] De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug
[B3] De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug - jacket
[B3] De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug - board
De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. Utrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum, 1976. 14th printing. 253 pp. 19.7 x 11.5 cm. ISBN 90-274-8396-5.

This first hardcover edition, bound in light green cloth with publisher's name, author's name, and title stamped in silver on the spine, and a green headband. It contains the new translation and 12 colour illustrations, four of them tolkien's own colour art - Rivendell, Bilbo Woke Up with the Early Sun in His Eyes, Bilbo Comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves, and Conversation with Smaug -- and the other eight his black and white illustrations coloured by H.E. Riddett.
The illustrations face pp. 28-9, 44-5, 108-9, 124-5, 172-3, and 188-9.

The greater part of tolkien's other colour illustration, The Hill: Hobbiton-across-the Water, is printed twice on the dust-jacket: on the upper cover and spine, and on the lower jacket (see images, click for enlargement).
The title and the author's name are lettered in black on the upper cover, the publisher's name and the title in black and the author's name in white on the spine. The two maps, Thrors kaart and Wilderland, are printed on the front and back endpapers respectively. On p. 6 there is a note from the translator, and on p. 7 tolkien's introduction.

Next to the hardcover edition the paperback edition remained available with the old translation [B2], still featering the old cover by Bart van Erkel, and the old lay-out. They were labeled 14th printing (1977) and 16th printing (1978).

[B4] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

[B4] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug
[B4] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug - jacket
[B4] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug - board
De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. Utrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum, 1979. 15th printing. 253 pp. 20.0 x 11.5 cm. ISBN 90-274-8396-5.

The dust-jacket of this hardcover edition was designed by Studio Spectrum with a tolkien-logo (the name Tolkien printed with a big T) in silver at the top. This logo is repeated small as a carpet pattern in black over the brown ground of the whole jacket.
Below the large logo on the upper cover is the title in red, and below this is a round medallion, 6.5 cm in diameter, containing a detail of tolkien's Bilbo Comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves (see image, click for enlargement).
This medallion is repeated, reduced in size, on the spine, below the publisher's name in white, the logo in silver, and the title in red.
On the lower cover, below the logo in silver and a blurb in white, is a BBC photograph of Tolkien lighting his pipe.
The book is bound in claret-coloured cloth, with a blue headband. It has the tolkien-logo and title blind-stamped on the upper cover, and the publisher's name, tolkien-logo, and title stamped in silver on the spine.

In the period 1978-1987, this Studio Spectrum design was used for all Tolkien titles on both the dust-jackets of bound editions and the covers of paperbacks, with a different background colour and a different Tolkien painting in the medallion for each title.
The printing matter is identical to the 14th printing [B3].
This edition was reprinted in 1979 (18th printing).

[B5] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

[B5] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug - 17th printing
De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. Utrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum, 1979. 17th printing. 256 pp. 18.0 x 10.8 cm. ISBN 90-274-0043-1. 'Prisma Pocket' n° 529, with the Studio Spectrum cover (see image, click for enlargement).
These printings have the new translations and the two maps, but have no other illustrations. Thrors kaart is on pp. 6-7 and Wilderland on pp. 254-5. tolkien's introduction is on p. 8 and the translator's note on p. 256. It was reprinted six times (in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985,1986 and 1987).

It is amusing to see that the copyright notices always show some mistakes. In 1979 (17th) and 1981 (19th) the cover is credited 'Vormgeving en ontwerp omslag: Studio Spectrum', but wrongly states 'Bart van Erkel - Bataafsche tekenmij' as illustrator.
The hardcover 15th and 18th printing [B4] show the correct information. From the 20th printing (1983) onwards the credits are correct, until the 23rd printing (1986) that again gives Bart van Erkel as the artist and not J.R.R. Tolkien.

At the same time we have different title pages for the different editions:

1st printing: J.R.R. TOLKIEN / DE HOBBIT / VERTAALD DOOR / MAX SCHUCHART / PRISMA-BOEKEN / UTRECHT/ANTWERPEN

2nd-5th printing: J.R.R. TOLKIEN / DE HOBBIT / PRISMA-BOEKEN / UTRECHT/ANTWERPEN

6th-8th printing: J.R.R. Tolkien / [italics] De Hobbit / UITGEVERIJ HET SPECTRUM / UTRECHT/ANTWERPEN

9th-11th printing: [double rule] / J.R.R. TOLKIEN / [rule] / de / hobbit / [double rule] / [Spectrum logo] / Uitgeverij Het Spectrum N.V. / UTRECHT/ANTWERPEN

12th-14th printing: Tolkien / de Hobbit [with 'de' above the 'o'] / [Spectrum logo] / Uitgeverij Het Spectrum / Utrecht/Antwerpen

16th-17th printing: Tolkien / de Hobbit [with 'de' above the 'o'] / of / [bold] Daarheen en Weer Terug / Vertaald door Max Schuchart / Uitgeverij Het Spectrum / Utrecht/Antwerpen

From 19th onwards: TOLKIEN [big T] / DE / HOBBIT / of / [bold] Daarheen en Weer Terug / Vertaald door Max Schuchart / Uitgeverij Het Spectrum / Utrecht/Antwerpen

[B6] De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. Utrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum, 1988.
First printing as paperback (as standard size, not as pocket paperback size]. 23.5 x 15.5 cm. 229 + [3] pp. ISBN 90-274-1921-3.
The text is reset. Numbering of printings starts anew from this reset edition.

Thrors kaart is
printed on pp. [6-7], tolkien's introduction on p. 9, the translator's note on p. 227, and Wilderland on pp. [228-9].
The cover is red with gold lettering (see image, click for enlargement).

It was reprinted in 1991, slightly smaller in size and with a new (white) cover [B7].

[B7] De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. [Utrecht]: Het Spectrum, 1991. 2nd printing. 21.0 x 13.0 cm. 232 pp. ISBN 90-274-2759-3.
The new white wrapper has two Tolkien illustrations in colour on the upper cover: Bilbo Comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves and Lake Town.
The title and tolkien's name are in gold on the upper cover and spine, and in black with the Tolkien monogram in brown on the lower cover (see image, click for enlargement). Lake Town is reprinted on the lower cover.
On the spine is the left side of the Raft-elves painting.

The contents are identical to the first printing [B6].
The book was reprinted in 1992 , 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.

[B8] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. [Utrecht]: Het Spectrum, 1999. 20.0 x 12.3 cm. 231 + [1] pp. ISBN 90-274-6857-3.
Blue edition as a socalled new prisma pocket.

It has the same content as the white paperback edition (1991-1999) [B7], with on p. 230-231 a list of books in the Spectrum fantasy series.

It has a blue cover with only text: [yellow:] J.R.R. [rule] TOLKIEN [rule] [grey:] [rule] DE HOBBIT [rule][white:] of / DAARHEEN EN / WEER TERUG / [yellow Tolkien monogram] (see image, click for enlargement).

[B9] De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. First printing in the completely revised translation. [Utrecht]: Het Spectrum, 2000. 21.0 x 13.0, 253 + [3] pp. ISBN 90-274-7300-5 Bound in a blue cloth, with a blue dust-jacket (see image, click for enlargement) and a bookmarker.
Only Thror's map is available, on p. [2-3]. Wilderland is lacking.
It has the untitled preface about the runes on Thror's Map, but has no longer a note by the translator.
This edition was originally issued in a boxset with the translation of The Silmarilion, "De Silmarillion", and of the Unfinished Tales, "Nagelaten vertellingen" (ISBN 90 274 6963 6), but was also apart available. It was reprinted in 2001.

[B10] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

children's edition with on the cover a painting of Smaug by the brothers Hildebrandt and a drawing of Lydia Postma on the title page


De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug . Translated by Max Schuchart. First printing in the completely revised translation. [Utrecht]: Het Spectrum, 2001. 24.0 x 16.0, 253 + [3] pp. ISBN 90-274-7383-8
The first printing in a big bound edition, the so-called children's edition, with on the cover a painting of Smaug by the brothers Hildebrandt (see image, click for enlargement) and a drawing of Lydia Postma on the title page.
It is identical to B9 in matter and maps.

[B11] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

Later printings of the Children's edition are published by Uitgeverij M and have Bilbo's hole by John Howe on the cover (see image, click for enlargement).

They have ISBN 90-225-3200-3. The printing matter is identical tot B9.

2nd and 3rd printing (2002), and 4th printing (2003)  

[B12bis] De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug . Translated by Max Schuchart. First printing in the completely revised translation. [Utrecht]: Het Spectrum, 2001. 21.0 x 13.0, 253 + [3] pp. ISBN 90-274-7412-5.

This first printing in paperback of the revised translation is still in the white series [B7] (see image, click for enlargement).

The matter is identical to B9.

[B12] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart. Second printing in de completely revised translation, paperback. [Utrecht]: Het Spectrum, 2001. 21.5 x 14.0, 253 + [3] pp. ISBN 90-274-7579-2.
The second paperback printing has a new silver-gray cover designed by Studio Jan de Boer, with in the middle a medallion with a drawing by Erik Kriek (Bilbo on a barrel) (see image, click for enlargement).

It is reprinted 2001 and 2002., respectively the 3th and 4th printing. The matter is identical to B9.

From the 5th printing (2002) onwards the silver editions are issued by Uitgeverij M with ISBN 90-225-3192-9.

Reprinted in 2002 (6th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 12th printing); in 2003 (15th, 18th and 20th printing) and in 2004 (21st and 22nd printing). The matter is identical to B9.

[B13] De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug . Translated by Max Schuchart. [Amsterdam]: Uitgeverij M, 2002. 8th printing. 22.0 x 14.5, 253 + [3] pp. geb. ISBN 90 225 3399 9

Hardback edition, bound in black woven paper, with a dustjacket, illustrated by John Howe (Smaug on his hoard) (see image, click for enlargement).

The matter is identical to B9.

Reprinted in 2002 (11th printing) and 2003 (14th printing).

[B14] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

Hobbit Van der Kraan in de Fantasy Classic reeks


There is one paperback edition (13th printing), published in 2003, with another cover by Rien Van der Kraan in the Fantasy Classic series (see image, click for enlargement).
ISBN 90-225-3502-9. The matter is identical to B9.

In the same series were issued Conan (R.E. Howard), Arawn (E Walton) and Arthur (T.H. White).

[B15] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug
De hobbit & In de ban van de Ring . Illustrated by Alan Lee
J.R.R. Tolkien stamped in guilt on the upper cover
De hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug . Translated by Max Schuchart. Illustrated by Alan Lee. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij M, 2003. 26.5 x 20.0, x + 294 pp., geb. No ISBN

Two hardback editions in one box: De hobbit & In de ban van de Ring . Illustrated by Alan Lee. Translated by Max Schuchart. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij M, 2003. 26.5 x 20.0, x + 294 +1200 pp. ISBN 90-225-3620-3.

The books don't have an ISBN of their own and are stated as 'Eerste druk in deze uitvoering'. (First printing in this edition). You can only buy them together in the box.
It is the 16th printing of the revised translation.
Bound in dark green cloth over boards, with a dragon by J.R.R. Tolkien stamped in guilt on the upper cover.

On the spine is stamped in guilt: "[tolkien's monogram in a panel with below TOLKIEN] J.R.R. / TOLKIEN [double rule - soace - double rule] DE / HOBBIT / Geïllustreerd door / ALAN LEE [Monogram Uitgeverij M].

On the upper cover of the dust-jacket we see Smaug on his hoard (see image, click for enlargement). On the lower cover is Gandalf leaving Bilbo and the dwarves at Demsterwold (Mirkwood). This is the complete illustrated edition of Alan Lee, with 25 color and 39 black and white drawings, identical to the British edition, apart from the Dutch text.

[B16] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

The Hobbit, Uitgeverij M 2002



De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart.. [Amsterdam]: Uitgeverij M, 2002. 17th printing. 22.0 x 14.5, 253 + [3] pp. geb. ISBN 90-225-9760-9.
Hardback edition, bound in red woven paper with a dustjacket, illustrated by Alan Lee, showing Bilbo before his hole while Gandalf arrives (see image, click for enlargement). The matter is identical to B9, except that Thrors kaart is printed in a smaller format on p. [7], instead of on p. [2-3].

[B17] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug


De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug. Translated by Max Schuchart.. Amsterdam / Utrecht: Zwarte Beertjes, 2003. 19th printing, 17.5 x 11.4, 253 + [3] pp., geb. ISBN 90 461 2040 6.

Pocketedition in the Zwarte Beertjes series (little black bears series) as nr. 3166 with on the cover the colour drawing of Bilbo's hobbit hole by John Howe.
The matter is identical to B9.
Reprinted in 2004 (23rd printing)

[B18] De Hobbit, of Daarheen en weer terug.

De Hobbit of Daarheen en weer terug


De Hobbit. Translated by Max Schuchart.. [Amsterdam]: Uitgeverij M, 2005. 24th printing. 22.0 x 15.1 x 2.7, 253 pp. ISBN 90-225-4320-X.
Hardback edition, issued without dustjacket. This Children edition was published in November 2005.

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