The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - First Edition, Fourth Impression (1946) with Original Dust Jacket.

Rare first edition, fourth impression (1946) of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, featuring the original dust jacket and illustrations by the author. In very good condition with minor foxing and a clean text block. Perfect for Tolkien collectors.

The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
First Edition, Fourth Impression (1946)
Published by George Allen & Unwin, London
Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

Rare Collectible Edition of The Hobbit - Featuring Tolkien’s Illustrations and Original Gollum Encounter

A beautiful first edition, fourth impression (1946) copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, in its original dust jacket. The book is bound in green cloth featuring the distinctive black illustration of Smaug, drawn by Tolkien himself. This edition is one of 4,032 copies printed.

Dust Jacket in very good condition, showing some wear, but still remarkably well-preserved for its age. Minor foxing appears on the outer part of the jacket, primarily on the spine and edges. The inside flaps remain clean and white, with no significant issues to note. The artwork on the jacket front, featuring Tolkien’s iconic illustration of the Misty Mountains, still presents vivid and bright colors, with just some small tears and chips around the edges, most notably near the spine and corners.

Book Condition is very good. The green cloth cover with the black illustration of Smaug is in very good condition, with minimal shelf wear on the corners and edges. The spine remains solid and firm. There is some very minor foxing present on the front endpapers and on a few pages (notably pages 30-31 and 170-174), but otherwise, the pages are clean and free of markings. The map endpapers (featuring Thror’s Map and the Map of Wilderland) are intact and clear.

The binding is in excellent condition, holding firm with no loose pages. The text block is clean, with minor toning on the edges.
There is a small pencil inscription of a name on page 3 (as seen in the images), but no other markings or inscriptions.
All illustrations are present and in excellent condition. This fourth impression includes eight black-and-white illustrations by Tolkien, as per the earlier impressions, but no color illustrations.

This edition is highly sought after, as it contains the original version of Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum, which was later revised in subsequent editions after the success of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s own artwork is featured in both the dust jacket and the book itself, making this edition a prized piece for collectors.

This fourth impression was published in 1946, with a limited run of 4,032 copies. The first impression of The Hobbit was published in 1937, and all four impressions of the first edition feature the original unaltered text of the famous encounter with Gollum, making these early printings highly collectible.

This is a rare opportunity to own a very well-preserved early edition of one of the most beloved fantasy novels of all time.

Terms of sale: Prices are only indications, always inquire if books are still available. We accept Money Orders, cash, or Credit Cards (paypal) for immediate shipping.  Checks will delay shipment for 10 days for checks to clear. Please inquire for shipping quotes.
Interested: Please send email to info@tolkienlibrary.com.