The Hobbit or There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien. Illustrated by the Author. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., Museum Street. 1946.
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First edition fourth impression, one of the earliest obtainable editions of The Hobbit, published before any of the three Lord of the Rings books, with the beautiful colour frontispiece.
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Size: 132 x 189 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), h.t., frontis, t.p., 1ff., pp.11-310, 1ff., (1)]
The first edition of the Hobbit in its original publisher's cloth binding with the novel title and decorative designs depicting a dragon and some mountains. Binding with minor wear, some marks to the front board, damp staining to the rear board, wear to extremities. Both boards securely attached with minor wear to joints and hinges. Shelf and edge wear. Shelf lean. Spine cocked. Corners lightly turned-in. Page edges toned. Ink marks to the top outer corner of the ffep. No attached bookplates. Text block very clean with light toning and occasional foxing, foxing more so to endpapers. Page block slightly cracked between pp.176 and pp.177, leaves securely attached. Damp staining to the bottom of the rear leaves, beginning at approx. pp.245 and increasing in prominence, with the more prominent damp staining to the rear board and the last few leaves, but generally a very attractive copy overall. Without the original dust jacket, as often.
