I've posted many covers of The Hobbit in the past, but I had never come across this amazeballs one until recently. This version of J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 classic was first produced for the British primary school market in 1968 by Longman. There was a second printing in 1970. These pictures, snatched from the internet for educational/posterity purposes, show a volume from the 1968 first printing, because it states Longmans at the base of the spine. That was corrected to Longman for the second printing.
Amazingly for an unusual edition of such a high-profile book, the identity of the cover illustrator is unknown. Someone, somewhere must know who did this!
This version of The Hobbit is incredibly rare. It is estimated that only 1,500 copies were printed across the two impressions, and it is generally thought that only about 50 copies still exist today. If you come across one, it could be worth upwards of $4,000. That's less than you'd get for one of the Rings of Power, but still a fairly precious sum.
- Happy 120th birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien
- Happy twelvety-first birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!
- Celebrating J.R.R. Tolkien's twelvety-second birthday
- Celebrating the 80th anniversary of publication of "The Hobbit"
- Happy Christmas Eve, J.R.R. Tolkien style
- Stay-at-home shelfie #22
- 1985 newsletter for "A Change of Hobbit" bookstore