The Hobbit, Unwin Hyman, 1987 Deluxe Signed Collectors’ Edition.

Copy no. 48 of only 500 copies, with special foreword and limitation page signed by Christopher Tolkien for the 50th anniversary of The Hobbit.

A beautiful example of the 1987 deluxe collectors’ edition of The Hobbit, published by Unwin Hyman to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Tolkien’s classic. This is copy number 48 of just 500 produced, with the limitation page stating that the first 100 copies were signed by Christopher Tolkien – this copy bearing his bold signature beneath the printed limitation text.

Bound in the publisher’s full dark green morocco leather, with five raised bands to the spine, and gilt titles & publisher at the spine. The upper board is decorated with Tolkien’s JRRT monogram in gilt within a single gilt frame, while the rear board carries an attractive embossed design of Smaug in blind. Top-quality production throughout, with heavy cream wove paper, brown textured endpapers and a folding map of Wilderland at the rear, printed in red and black and mounted on a stub.

The binding is in Near Fine condition, the leather clean and rich in colour, with only the very lightest signs of handling to the boards and spine extremities. Gilt titling remains sharp and bright. The boards are square, the joints sound, and the spine shows no lean.

Internally the book is Fine: the pages are clean, fresh and unmarked, with no previous owner’s names, inscriptions or bookplates. The limitation leaf is crisp, the numbering “48” and Christopher Tolkien’s signature clear and unfaded. The map at the rear is in excellent condition, without tears or misfolds.

A superb, low-numbered example of one of the most desirable modern deluxe editions of The Hobbit, combining fine binding, an important commemorative foreword, and the scarce signature of Christopher Tolkien. A centrepiece volume for the serious Tolkien collector.

Condition: Near Fine (very slight rubbing to leather at a few extremities; internally Fine, no inscriptions, clean and tight throughout).

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