Farmer Giles of Ham – 1965 Fourth Impression with Fifth Impression Jacket & US Review Slip

J.R.R. Tolkien. Published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd. / Houghton Mifflin, 1965.

Uncommon hybrid copy of Farmer Giles of Ham, featuring the 1965 Fourth Impression of the book housed in a Fifth Impression dust jacket. This example includes the scarce original review slip issued by Houghton Mifflin and bears a “Horn Book” archive stamp — a clear sign it was sent out to American reviewers ahead of US release.

The book is in very good condition with minor shelfwear. The jacket, although one impression later than the book, is intact and correctly priced, with typical toning and a couple of closed tears. Endpapers are clean except for the red “Horn Book” stamp. The presence of the US marketing material makes this an unusual survivor and collectible copy.

Unusual 1965 copy of Tolkien's Farmer Giles of Ham with a fourth impression book and a fifth impression dust jacket. Includes rare Houghton Mifflin review slip and a red “Horn Book” stamp on the rear endpaper. An intriguing hybrid copy, likely distributed for early US publicity despite being printed in Great Britain. The US-style review slip, the “Horn Book” review archive stamp, and the jacket mismatch suggest it was intended for pre-publication press circulation.

Printed in Great Britain for Allen & Unwin but distributed by Houghton Mifflin in the United States for promotional purposes — a known phenomenon but rarely preserved this completely. The jacket's blank rear flap is also consistent with early copies sent to reviewers.

Farmer Giles of Ham was Tolkien's second major book publication after The Hobbit, illustrated throughout by Pauline Baynes with two colour plates and numerous black-and-white vignettes. A key title in Tolkien's early post-Hobbit canon.

Scarce ephemera and bibliographically curious — a collectible item for the Tolkien completist or review-copy specialist.

Digital photos available on request.

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