The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Published by Allen & Unwin in 1958.
The book is in Very Good Plus condition, with a slight bit of fading to the spine and top edges of the boards.

The book shows some spine slant, but no soiling and only the slightest of rubs or wear to the edges.
Small previous owners name and date to the top corner of the first blank page, also a notation in blue ink to the top right corner of Thror's Map, 'CM7', no other writing noted.
No foxing marks or offsetting noted.

The boards are the original green cloth with dark blue stamping of tolkien's own Mountains and Dragon design, with completely unbumped corners.
The title verso has the full printing history up to this tenth impression of 1958. The original dustjacket is correctly marked the 10th impression, and would appear to be the original as both book and dustjacket are remarkably well preserved.

In 1957 (Ninth Impression book) Houghton Mifflin ordered a number of sheet sets to be imported from A&U for the US 1957 Ninth Printing, however after A&U had already printed the full run, HM backed out of part of the order due to import costs and reduced their order by 1,000 sheet sets.

So A&U assumed they would have 1,000 more UK books than originally planned and as such they had Jackets produced for this overrun.
Subsequently, HM changed their mind again and took the 1,000 sheet sets they had canceled, thus leaving A&U with 1,000 extra Ninth Impression Jackets.
They simply used those extra jackets on the 1958 Tenth Impression Books.

So there should be 1000 copies of the 1958 UK Tenth Impression book with a Ninth Impression Jacket, which would make this one of the 3,500 copies of the Tenth Impression books in the Tenth Impression Jackets.

The dustjacket is not price clipped and in Very Good Plus condition, with only the most minor of rubbing to the edges, with a tiny bit of loss at the tips of the folds, and to the edges.
It shows a bit of soiling, mainly to the white areas, but still shows beautifully.

A remarkable copy, of an early printing, of this much sought after children's classic.

Digital photo's available, inquire if interested.

Other Tolkien books available, include both the UK and US editions, original cloth bindings, custom fine bindings, and Signed/Numbered/Limited Editions.