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Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, first impression, frontispiece, one plate and 8 illustrations, including 7 full-page, map endpapers printed in red & black, all by the author, a few surface stains, very occasional light scattered spotting, 1 or 2 small pencil corrections to text, pencil ownership inscription to front free endpaper, cracking to gutter, original cloth, some shelf-lean, spine lightly browned, a few spots to spine and lower cover, light browning to edges of covers, light bumping and rubbing to spine tips and corners, [Hammond A3a], 8vo, 1937.

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, second impression, map endpapers (front free endpaper crudely repaired at corner, rear pastedown map partly peeled back from board with resultant creasing and some loss), frontispiece and 3 colour plates, abrasion to free endpaper, the odd pencil mark to margins, the odd spot, mostly to half-title, very occasional light surface stains, ink gift inscription to half-title, occasional cracking to gutter, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, browning to spine, small split to lower joint, very slight bowing to upper cover, light spotting to covers, bumping and chipping to spine ends and edges with some wear, 8vo, [Hammond A3a], 1937 [but 1938].

⁂ The second impression was the first version of the book to be illustrated in colour: the first impression had two plates only, both of which were uncoloured. A total of 2,300 copies were printed, and some 400 held at the binder's London warehouse were destroyed during the Blitz in November 1940.

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit; or There and Back Again, first American edition, first state with bowing hobbit device on the title page, the list of illustrations erroneously listing Thror's Map first, and Chapter VII mislabeled as "Chapter VI", frontispiece and 3 plates in colour, 9 plain illustrations, all by the author, map endpapers, a few very faint surface stains but a very clean copy generally, a few spots to fore-edge, original cloth, very faint toning to spine, very slight bumping to spine tips, very minor rubbing to corners, otherwise fine, dust-jacket, light browning to spine, lacking upper flap, lower flap detached, creases, chips, and nicks with some portions of loss to spine ends and extremities (touching 1 'The' on spine and upper panel), worn, [Hammond A3b], 8vo, Boston and New York, 1938.

⁂ Rare in dust-jacket.

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, 3 vol., comprising The Fellowship of the Ring, slight splitting and fraying to head of lower joint, 1954; The Two Towers; 1954; The Return of the King state with signature mark "4" and misaligned text on p.49, 1955, first editions, first impressions, folding maps, spotting, mostly endpapers, edges and margins, very occasionally into text, original cloth, slight shelf-lean, sunning and spotting to spines, very light fading to covers, spine ends and corners a little bumped and lightly rubbed, closely trimmed upper panel of dust-jackets loosely inserted in each vol., some spotting, [Hammond & Anderson A5], 8vo.

Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first paperback edition, signed by the author to title, browning, pencil ownership inscription to half-title, original wrappers designed by Pauline Baynes, spine browned, a little chipped at spine ends, traces of old tape to foot of covers, splitting to upper joint (affecting half-title), short tear to head of lower cover affecting 1 word, some light creasing, rubbed, quite worn, 8vo, Puffin, 1961; with photocopied letters of provenance.

⁂ This copy had been given to a student by their English teacher 'who was aware of my interest in Tolkien and agreed to obtain a signed copy of "The Hobbit" for me from the author, whom he knew'.

Tolkien (J.R.R.).- Baynes (Pauline) [Artist's Proof Illustration for the First Paperback Edition of The Hobbit], cut signature of the artist below proof illustration, framed and window-mounted, frame approx. 405 x 395mm, with letter of provenance, [1961].

⁂ Pauline Baynes was the first illustrator of Tolkien's minor works and was commissioned by Tolkien's publishers to design the slipcases for a deluxe edition of the Lord of the Rings series, and paint 'A Map of Middle-Earth'. She was an incredibly accomplished illustrator, having also illustrated all seven volumes of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. She later became an author, writing and illustrating her own stories with animal and Biblical themes.