George Allen & Unwin, London, 1958
Second Edition, 6th Impression, 1958: A near fine book in a near fine dust jacket
The first printing of The Hobbit was issued on 21st September 1937 with a print run of only 1500 copies. The book was an immediate success and sold out within months. Today first/firsts are selling for $200,000 and up in an original jacket, and any early printing in an original dust jacket is highly collectible.
This book is in fine condition with crisp boards, sharp corners and no edgewear. The binding is tight and square. The end papers are clean and bright with no owner names, no inscriptions and no bookplates. The internal pages are clean, bright and flat appearing as unread with no handling marks, no writing, no bent pages and no foxing. Please see all the images.
The original dust jacket has benefited from some very slight restoration by an expert paper conservator to the very outer spine tips, and as such and presents as a fine/near fine example. The price clipped jacket has strong vibrant colors with no edgewear, no rips, no chips, no tears, no rubbing, no fading and no foxing. The jacket is now protected in a new clear removable archival cover. Please see detailed images.
A handsome very early printing in the original dust jacket.
