10 Nov, 2015
2015-11-10 9:25:58 PM UTC
I'm wondering if anybody has information about the Ballantine paperback versions of the Lord of the Rings. Specifically the versions that came out in 1973 with Tolkien's own artwork on the cover. I would like to know exactly which printing would be their first printing. I believe the printing numbers were continued on from the Remington covered versions so it's difficult to know which were the first printings of this edition (if it's even considered a different edition, which I guess it's not). I imagine there was more than one printing in 1973 so I guess one would need to know the month these were issued or the exact printing number. I'm also wondering about the paperback sets that came out after this one too. But one thing at a time I guess. Can anyone hope me out here? Thanks!!!
10 Nov, 2015
2015-11-10 10:04:17 PM UTC
I think about 40 printings of each of the books had Remington's artwork on them, but don't have definitive numbers in front of me. I will try to dig a little deeper.
10 Nov, 2015
2015-11-10 10:16:23 PM UTC
Thanks Urulöké! I appreciate that.
11 Nov, 2015
2015-11-11 12:00:59 PM UTC
For The Fellowship of the Ring, the cover began to feature Tolkien's own art after the 40th printing (March 1973) and no later than the 43rd (September 1973). For The Two Towers, the cover changed after the 34th (August 1972) and no later than the 40th (September 1973). For The Return of the King, the cover changed with the 40th printing (September 1973), which leads me to suspect that all three volumes changed at that time.
The basic information is in the Descriptive Bibliography, p. 119, with some later correction.
Wayne
11 Nov, 2015
2015-11-11 4:14:23 PM UTC
Thank you Wayne!! I was looking through your bibliography... I don't know how I missed that!!
28 Jun, 2016
2016-6-28 7:15:14 PM UTC
Just in case anyone is interested, this is the printing information for the Ballantine PB cover change in 1973:
Hobbit: 42nd printing (September, 1973)
FotR: 43rd printing (September, 1973)
TTT: 40th printing (September, 1973)
RotK: 39th printing (September, 1973)
These were also printed a second time in September, 1973 but the above are the first printings with the new cover.
28 Jun, 2016
2016-6-28 8:48:24 PM UTC