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The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket
#pk0002 - The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket - 10500 AUD

A very scarce wartime printing of The Hobbit, issued by The Children's Book Club in 1942 using unsold third impression sheets from the original Allen & Unwin edition. Only 3,000 copies were produced. This copy is accompanied by a professionally made facsimile of the distinctive orange Book Club dust jacket.

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The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition


Published by The Children’s Book Club, London – with Facsimile Dust Jacket



This edition of The Hobbit was printed in late 1942 by The Children's Book Club, using leftover sheets from the third impression of the first edition, printed by George Allen & Unwin. With only 3,000 copies produced, it is considered one of the rarest and most unusual early Hobbits. It features an orange-red illustrated dust jacket (here provided in facsimile), and omits the endpaper maps found in other early printings.



Key Features:
- Children’s Book Club Edition, printed 1942 using third impression sheets.
- Publisher: The Children’s Book Club, 121 Charing Cross Road, London.
- Yellow cloth boards with black titles and spine imprint “The Book Club.”
- Includes original interior illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien.
- No endpaper maps (as issued).
- Facsimile of the rare orange Book Club dust jacket, housed in removable archival protector.

Condition:
- Binding is firm, spine darkened with rubbing at edges.
- Boards show foxing and general handling wear.
- Interior pages are clean and unmarked; wartime “Book Production War Economy Standard” imprint present.
- Jacket is a high-quality reproduction, clean and bright.

A unique piece of Tolkien publishing history, rarely offered in any condition.

Pictures (click to enlarge):
The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket 1
The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket 2
The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket 3
The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket 4
The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket 5
The Hobbit – 1942 Children’s Book Club Edition – with Facsimile Dust Jacket 6
 
 
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