The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien – First Puffin Edition, First Impression (1961) – First British Paperback Edition – Pauline Baynes Cover.

The first Puffin Books edition and first British paperback edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, published in 1961 with the celebrated wraparound cover artwork by Pauline Baynes.

This is the first Puffin Books edition, first impression of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, published by Penguin Books under its Puffin imprint in 1961.
Of particular bibliographical importance, this edition represents the first appearance of The Hobbit in paperback in Britain.
Issued as Puffin Story Book PS 161, with the original 3/6 price printed on the front wrapper.
The rear wrapper carries the contemporary statement:
“For copyright reasons this edition is not for sale in the U.S.A.”


Pauline Baynes Cover Artwork

The wonderfully atmospheric illustrated wrappers were designed by Pauline Baynes, one of the artists most closely associated with Tolkien’s works during his lifetime.
Her design extends across both wrappers, showing Bilbo and the company of dwarves travelling through a dramatic mountainous landscape. The dark background, vivid yellow slopes and small mounted figures give this edition a particularly distinctive appearance among early editions of The Hobbit.
Baynes would become an important visual interpreter of Tolkien’s world, and her artwork is today an integral part of the collecting history surrounding Tolkien’s books.


Edition Details

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Title: The Hobbit
Publisher: Puffin Books / Penguin Books
Publication place: Harmondsworth, Middlesex
Publication date: 1961
Edition: First Puffin edition
Impression: First impression
Format: Paperback
Puffin number: PS 161
Original price: 3/6
Cover artist: Pauline Baynes
Pages: 284 pages plus Puffin advertisements


Condition

Good condition.

The original illustrated wrappers are complete and retain strong colour. There is general rubbing and wear to the edges and corners, together with some creasing to the wrappers consistent with a copy that has been read and handled.
The spine remains complete and clearly displays the title, author, Puffin number 161 and Puffin device.
The pages show the characteristic and fairly pronounced age-toning commonly encountered in this edition. The book remains complete and readable, with the binding holding well.
A previous owner’s name, Elisabeth Bonders, is written in ink at the head of an opening page.
Please study the photographs carefully for the exact condition of this copy.

Collector’s Note

The 1961 Puffin Hobbit occupies an important place in the publication history of Tolkien’s most famous children’s book. It was the first British paperback edition, bringing The Hobbit into the enormously influential Puffin Books series and presenting the story to a new generation of younger readers in an inexpensive format.
It is also particularly desirable for Pauline Baynes’ distinctive wraparound artwork. Baynes had a long association with Tolkien and his publishers and produced artwork for several Tolkien publications during his lifetime.
First impressions of this fragile paperback are becoming increasingly difficult to find, particularly with the original wrappers complete.
A desirable early Tolkien paperback and an important edition in the publishing history of The Hobbit.

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