An unusual first edition of 'The Hobbit' sells for a staggering 43,000 pounds at auction.
Rare First Edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' Discovered in Bristol
A first edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy novel, 'The Hobbit', has been unearthed during a routine house clearance in Bristol, southwest England. The book, bound in light green cloth and featuring rare black-and-white illustrations by the author himself, is one of the 1,500 original copies published in 1937.
The discovery of this unimaginably rare find has sent waves through the literary world. Surviving books from the initial print run are now considered some of the most sought-after books in modern literature, with only a few hundred believed to still remain.
The book was purchased by a private collector in the United Kingdom, who was delighted to acquire such a precious piece of literary history. The auction house, Auctioneum, stated that these first editions are highly valuable due to their rarity and condition, often fetching tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.
The book was created by Tolkien while he was a professor at the University of Oxford. It is likely that he had connections with Hubert Priestley, a botanist connected to the same university, as both shared mutual correspondence with author C.S. Lewis.
The discovered copy of 'The Hobbit' was found on a bookcase, with nobody knowing it was there before it was found. It was just a run-of-the-mill bookcase, hiding a treasure trove of literary history.
The book has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, but the original copies from the first print run are a different story. The initial print run sold out quickly, and a second printing soon followed. However, surviving copies from this very first batch are extremely rare and highly sought after by collectors.
In June 2015, a first edition of 'The Hobbit' with a handwritten note in Elvish by the author sold for £137,000 at Sotheby's. More recently, another first edition sold for 43,000 pounds ($57,000) at auction on Aug. 6. Bidders from around the world drove the price up by more than four times what the auction house expected for the manuscript.
The 'The Hobbit' paved the way for the 'The Lord of the Rings' series, which was turned into a hit movie franchise in the 2000s. The trilogy has cemented Tolkien's place in the pantheon of great authors, and the discovery of this first edition serves as a reminder of the enduring appeal of his work.
In summary, the discovery of this first edition of 'The Hobbit' is a significant find in the world of literature. It highlights the scarcity and significance of these original copies, which are highly valued by collectors and literary enthusiasts alike. The book's journey from the family library of a botanist connected to the University of Oxford to a bookcase in Bristol and finally into the hands of a private collector is a testament to the enduring allure of Tolkien's seminal work.
[1] The Guardian [2] The Bookseller [3] Forbes [4] CNN
This rare first edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' has sparked a frenzy in the world of literature, with surviving books from the initial print run becoming highly sought-after pieces of pop-culture entertainment and valuable additions to any book collection. Otherworldly books like this contribute to the enduring appeal of Tolkien's work, positioning him as a monumental figure in modern literature.
