TOLKIEN, J.R.R (1892-1973). The Hobbit. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1937.

First edition of The Hobbit: a major landmark of fantasy literature.

‘The Hobbit began as an amusement for the Tolkien children, and reached print rather unexpectedly, a typescript of it having been shown to Stanley Unwin by a former pupil of Tolkien's. Once published, however, it was an equally unexpected success’ (ODNB). ‘The world's best-selling single work of fiction’ (J.R.R. Tolkien, Life and Legend, p.45), until Harry Potter, it introduces ‘an entirely new mythological race of “hobbits” who, like their representative Bilbo Baggins, are solid, respectable, anachronistically English, and, as appears when Bilbo is sent off by the wizard Gandalf to help recover the lost treasure of the dwarves from the dragon Smaug, capable of unsuspected resource’ (ibid.). Currey 476; Hammond A3a.

Octavo. Frontispiece, one plate and 8 further illustrations in the text (a few faint spots and marks). Original green cloth lettered and decorated in dark blue, cartographic endpapers, top edge green (slightly cocked, some small marks to upper board and spine, tailcap slightly abraded, lacking the dust-jacket). Provenance: Norman Forster Wilson, Low Fell, Crosthwaite, Kendal (1869-1949; faded pencil owner inscription dated October 1937, the month after publication) – by descent to the present owner.