English, A Literary Foundation Course [GA&U 1975, R.S. Fowler & A.J.B. Dick]

I have a copy of this edition of TH: it's actually the fourth edition, Allen & Unwin; printed in 1972. Hammond and Anderson A3k,
ISBN 0 04 823105 3.

Tolkien's facsimile signature is on the title page; the same as on Tree and Leaf etc. Not only did Fowler write the introduction; there's also a whole section of Ideas for Study, on a chapter-by-chapter basis (pp.281-303), including a short piece by Rayner Unwin on the publishing of TH, with a facsimile of 10-year old Rayner's report on The Hobbit. (is this the first time the facsimile sig, and Rayner's report were printed?) Fowler notes that many of the suggestions in this section come from 'English 11/12', by himself and John Dick.

It's actually a very good edition; very well bound in a tough, hard-wearing material. The introduction and the Ideas for Study make this edition stand out.

Did it originally have a dustjacket?

I don't know not having seen a copy of this book, but nearly all GA&U hardbacks of the time had dust jackets, especially if the book is cloth bound.

Further to my previous - in the note by Rayner Unwin on the publishing of TH, Rayner mentions the story of Tolkien making up the first line of the story while marking exam papers. I didn't hear of this story till I read it in Carpenter's biography in '77. Again; is this another first for this edition? Or am I forgetting something obvious?

The book is cloth bound so there will have been a dustjacket, as you say, Trotter. A pity that I can't seem to find a picture of it...
I wonder why the book is so scarce..
Also I can't find out much more about RS Fowler than the fact that he wrote a handful of English school books (also with AJB Dick) and had some interest in Tolkien.

The edition you mention, garm, seems to be quite scarce also, is it? I can also find just a handful of this edition. Has there been only one printing with Fowler's introduction perhaps?

With regards to The Hobbit with an Introduction by R.S. Fowler. I believe there were 3 printings (1972, 1974 and 1976).

I certainly have the 1972 and 1974 Printings and I will check later, but from memory, I think I have a copy printed in 1976 also.

Indeed, there is a third impression from 1976.

remy is quite correct, there were three impressions of the Fowler Hobbit book, details below.

http://web.archive.org/web/2007101418 ... tails.php?reference=21500