The Hobbit Illustrated by the Author

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For the first time ever, a special enhanced edition of the enchanting prelude to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout with over 50 sketches, drawings, paintings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien himself [20 b/w, 36 col illus] and with the complete text printed in two colours.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit was published on 21 September 1937. With a beautiful cover design, a handful of black & white drawings and two maps by the author himself, the book became an instant success and was reprinted shortly afterwards with five colour plates.

Tolkien’s own selection of finished paintings and drawings have become inseparable from his text, adorning editions of The Hobbit for more than 85 years. But the published art has afforded only a glimpse of Tolkien’s creative process, and many additional sketches, coloured drawings and maps – although exhibited and published elsewhere – have never appeared within the pages of The Hobbit.

In this unique enhanced edition of Tolkien’s enchanting classic tale, the full panoply of his art is reproduced for the first time, presenting a grand total of 50 illustrations to accompany Bilbo Baggins on his adventure ‘there and back again’.

UK Trade Hardcover

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The Hobbit: (UK, Illustrated, HB)

HarperCollins (2023-09-14)


$50.71 Blackwell's (hardback) - Availability: Usually dispatched within 10 days
$55.65 Amazon.com (Hardcover) - Availability: Now
£31.22 Amazon.co.uk (Hardcover) - Availability: Now
£39.96 AbeBooks - Availability: Click to check


Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (September 14, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008627782

UK Deluxe

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For the first time ever, a beautiful slipcased edition of the enchanting prelude to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout with over 50 sketches, drawings, paintings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, with the complete text printed in two colours and with many bonus features unique to this edition.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit was published on 21 September 1937. With a beautiful cover design, a handful of black & white drawings and two maps by the author himself, the book became an instant success and was reprinted shortly afterwards with five colour plates.

Tolkien’s own selection of finished paintings and drawings have become inseparable from his text, adorning editions of The Hobbit for more than 85 years. But the published art has afforded only a glimpse of Tolkien’s creative process, and many additional sketches, coloured drawings and maps – although exhibited and published elsewhere – have never appeared within the pages of The Hobbit.

In this unique enhanced edition of Tolkien’s enchanting classic tale, the full panoply of his art is reproduced for the first time, presenting more than 50 illustrations to accompany Bilbo Baggins on his adventure ‘there and back again’.

Unique to this edition are two poster-size, fold-out maps revealing all the detail of Thror’s Map and Wilderland, an illustrated 88-page booklet, and a printed art card reproducing Tolkien’s original dustjacket painting.

It is additionally quarterbound in green leather, with raised ribs on the spine, stamped in three foils on black cloth boards, and housed in a custom-built clothbound slipcase. The pages are edged in gold and include a ribbon marker.


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The Hobbit Deluxe: (UK, Illustrated, HB)

HarperCollins (2023-09-14)


$152.14 Blackwell's (hardback) - Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
$175.85 Amazon.com (Hardcover) - Availability: Now
£96.68 Amazon.co.uk (Hardcover) - Availability: Now
£113.47 AbeBooks - Availability: Click to check
$136.56 eBay US - Availability: Click to check
£80.98 eBay UK - Availability: Click to check


Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (September 14, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008627836


US Trade Hardcover


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The Hobbit (US, Illustrated, HB)

William Morrow (2023-09-19)


$88.75 Blackwell's (hardback) - Availability: Usually dispatched within 72 hours
$39.47 Amazon.com (Hardcover) - Availability: Now
£48.99 Amazon.co.uk (Hardcover) - Availability: Now
$36.85 AbeBooks - Availability: Click to check
$5.50 eBay US - Availability: Click to check


Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow (September 19, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063347533

US E-book

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The Hobbit Illustrated by the Author (Tolkien Illustrated Editions)

William Morrow (2023-09-19)


$27.99 Amazon.com (Kindle Edition) - Availability: Now


UK E-book

Affiliate Links

The Hobbit: Illustrated by the Author

HarperCollins (2023-09-14)


£16.99 Amazon.co.uk (Kindle Edition) - Availability: Now


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