Bonhams Auction

The Hobbit or There and Back Again, FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION, frontispiece and 9 plates or illustrations (all but one full-page), map endpapers (printed in red and black) by the author, a few corners turned, paper shelf mark and a few remnants of label inside upper cover, ink numeral ("221") on front free endpaper, publisher's green cloth, lettered and decorated in dark blue, top edge light green, worn at extremities of spine and corners, light spotting, upper hinge starting [Hammond A3(a)], 8vo, George Allen & Unwin, (1937)
Footnotes

ONE OF ONLY 1500 COPIES OF THE VERY FIRST EDITION OF THE HOBBIT, published on the 21 September 1937. A second issue appeared in December (see following lot).

Provenance: Casterton School, Kirby, stamp on half-title, bookplate on front free endpaper.

(The Lord of the Rings) The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King, together 3 vol., FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, 'The Return of the King' with signature mark "4" and sagging text on p.49, and "Men" (no gap) on p.281, folding map printed in red and black at rear of each volume, full crimson morocco gilt by the Chelsea Bindery, sides with single gilt rule border, the upper covers with gilt tooled design reflecting the original jacket design, spines gilt with raised bands and small motif in one compartment, morocco turn-ins, g.e., housed in single morocco-edged slipcase, 8vo, George Allen and Unwin, (1954-1955)
Footnotes

A FINELY BOUND SET OF FIRST EDITIONS, FIRST IMPRESSIONS.