Tolkien Library Store - Original Cloth Bindings - The Hobbit original bindings

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, US 1st Edition, 2nd state from 1938
#clp0050 - The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, US 1st Edition, 2nd state from 1938 - sold

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Published by Houghton Mifflin in 1938.

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The Hobbit, or There and back Again, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1938 uin the USA.
This is the 1st Edition, 1st Impression, 2nd State, with the flautist on the title page.


This book is one of the 3000 probably to have been printed and the rarest of the 1st US edition. This books shows all features of a second state hobbit, like the Wilderland map in front and the Lonely Mountain map in back, the reverse of the description in the text and Chapter VII (Out of the Frying Pan) is incorrectly identified as 'Chapter VI'. The margins are ample and the typesetting is well crafted for readability. The tan cloth cover is printed in blue for lettering and red for the bowing hobbit emblem on the front and the dwarf's hood emblem on the spine.

Embellished with 4 colour plates and black and white illustrations throughout by the author. All of which are present and in extremely clean and bright condition. This is also the first edition to feature the 'Bilbo Wakes Up' plate. Hammond & Anderson [A3b]. The text block and maps are also very clean and bright, with only the lightest foxing on a few pages. The only difference with the 1st state is the flautist emblem on the title page, replacing the bowing hobbit in the 1st state.

The book has several flaws, but all very logical for a book from this age. The boards several stains to the front, spine and back and overal wear. Especially the top of the spine show damage to the cloth at the top, and some bumping to the bottom.
The text block however is clean and just here and there some smaller stains or dirt can be noted. Only the Wilderland map in the front has the left over of a sticker that was removed at a certain time, taking away a tiny pice of the map there. There are no previous owner names or writing inside the book, but clearly the book has been read before! A nice early book with a history.

I have provided a one piece fascimile of the very rare 1st Dustjacket to help protect and show off this lovely classic of modern fiction.

Read more about the first American edition of the Hobbit here.

Digital photo's available, inquire if interested.

Other Tolkien books available, include both the UK and US editions, original cloth bindings, custom fine bindings, and Signed/Numbered/Limited Editions.
Pictures (click to enlarge):

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Interested: Please send email to info@tolkienlibrary.com.