The Hobbit

by Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel)

$9,500 · Offered by Biblio

First edition

Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1938 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 T

• Publisher: Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company
• Year: 1938
• Edition: First Edition
• Binding: hardcover

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