De Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien – Dutch Edition, Prisma-Boeken 1960, 11th Printing (1974)

Classic Dutch paperback edition of De Hobbit with the iconic Cees Kelfkens cover design, here in the 11th impression from 1974, retaining both maps and presenting as a bright and appealing example.

Published by Prisma-Boeken (Het Spectrum), Utrecht/Antwerpen. This is the long-running Dutch pocket edition of The Hobbit, translated by Max Schuchart and issued with the famous Kelfkens cover — a modernist, playful design that has become instantly recognisable among collectors of international Tolkien translations. The verso of the title page confirms “Elfde druk 1974”, making this the eleventh printing of the 1960 Dutch paperback edition.

The front cover remains attractive with the characteristic pink background now softened into a lighter, sun-touched tone that many find particularly charming. The Kelfkens artwork of Bilbo and the dwarves is clean and well-defined. There is some gentle surface wear around the edges, a tiny corner crease, and a few small handling marks, but the overall presentation is surprisingly fresh for a mid-1970s Prisma pocket. The spine shows typical vertical reading creases and light rubbing, especially at the head and tail, yet remains unbroken and fully legible. The back cover is clean, with only minor edge wear and a small rub near the lower blue band, carrying the standard synopsis text used throughout the early Prisma printings.

Internally the book is complete and structurally solid. The paper stock has tanned evenly, as is entirely normal for Het Spectrum paperbacks of this period, but the pages remain flexible and pleasant to handle. Both maps — Thror’s Map and the Map of Wilderland — are present, well-printed on facing pages, and free from tears or chips. The binding is tight with only a slight natural lean. There is no writing, no underlining, no stamps, and no intrusive marks beyond the expected light age-speckling on the endpapers.

This 11th impression represents a particularly appealing example: clean, honest, complete, and with a front cover that displays beautifully thanks to the softer, warm pink that results from decades of gentle sun exposure. It captures exactly why these Dutch Prisma editions have such enduring charm — approachable, iconic, and steeped in the reading culture of an entire generation.

A lovely and collectible copy of De Hobbit in its classic Dutch pocket format, ideal both for readers and for collectors seeking a bright and characterful mid-1970s printing.

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