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JRR Tolkien, born 1892 and died 1973, full name John Ronald Reuel,
was born in South Africa though educated in Britain. He worked as an academic
and professor in Oxford. There is already far too much bandwidth dedicated to
the life of this author on the net so we will not add to it. Our aim here is to
provide an in-depth and accurate bibliography for collectors. We have
accounted for the various issue points, such as they are, and also included some
later editions. Normally we would not do this but such is the collectability of
this author that later editions are also collectable. When collecting the
trilogy one should strive for matched sets, that is to say the same editions and
matching condition jackets. Put together sets and mismatched volumes are of
questionable use. It may also be worth pointing out that a first edition is a
first edition, anything printed later is a reprint. A so called 'first edition
12th Impression' should not be regarded as of particular value or
collectability. This is something to bear in mind for new collectors,
particularly those who buy on sites such as Ebay.
UK editions precede the US, for the important books that is, and there is a
considerable difference in value. A very rough guide would be English books
would fetch three times the price of the equivalent American book. Rebound books
are now fairly commonplace, the importance of these, is perhaps, a matter of
personal opinion and taste. Whilst they may look attractive and, it could be
argued, is a good way to make something in poor condition collectable, we
believe that modern first editions really need to have their original bindings
and dust jackets. So once again we urge caution in sums paid for rebound books.
If you are looking to buy or sell books then our
antiquarian book dealers section may be of some assistance. |
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Harry Potter
Terry Pratchett
|
The Hobbit
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| First Edition UK |
Allen + Unwin |
1937 |
Green cloth with stamped design. Pictorial endpapers.
Black and white frontis. 1st issue jackets have spelling error on inside
flap, the name 'Dodgson' was wrongly spelt with an 'e' which was then
crossed out rather than destroy the wrappers |
| First American |
Houghton + Mifflin |
1938 |
|
| Second UK Edition |
Unwin |
1938 |
Four new colour plates by Tolkien |
| UK Revised |
Unwin |
1951 |
Riddle of the Dark revised |
| First UK Paperback |
Puffin |
1961 |
|
The Fellowship of the Ring
Being the First Part of the Lord of the Rings
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| First UK Edition |
Unwin |
1954 |
Red cloth, fold-out map to rear |
| First US |
Mifflin |
1954 |
|
| Revised UK |
Unwin |
1966 |
New foreword and prologue |
The Two Towers
Being the Second Part of the Lord of the Rings
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| 1st UK |
Unwin |
1954 |
Red cloth, fold-out map to rear |
| 1st American |
Mifflin |
1955 |
|
| Revised UK |
Unwin |
1966 |
|
The Return of the King
Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| First UK |
Unwin |
1955 |
Red cloth, fold-out map to rear. 1st issue page 49 with 'sagging' type and signature mark 4 |
| First USA |
Mifflin |
1956 |
|
| Revised UK |
Unwin |
1966 |
|
The Silmarillion
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| First Issue UK |
Unwin |
1977 |
Printed by Billing and Son |
| First Commonwealth |
Unwin |
1977 |
Printed by William Clowes |
| US |
Mifflin |
1977 |
|
Other Titles
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| A Middle Earth Vocabulary |
OUP |
1922 |
1st issue ads dated October 1921, 2nd issue undated
ads. US: 1922 OUP |
| Sir Gawain and the Green Knight |
OUP |
1925 |
US: 1925 OUP |
| Songs for the Philologists |
Private |
1936 |
|
| Beowulf The Monsters and the Critics |
BA |
1936 |
ND. US: 1972 Folcroft |
| Farmer Giles of Ham |
Unwin |
1949 |
US: 1950 Mifflin |
| The Adventure of Tom Bombadil |
Unwin |
1962 |
US: 1963 Mifflin |
| Tree and Leaf |
Unwin |
1964 |
US: 1965 Houghton |
| The Tolkien Reader |
Ballantine |
1966 |
|
| Smith of Wootton Major |
Unwin |
1967 |
US: 1967 Mifflin |
| The Road Goes Ever On |
Mifflin |
1967 |
UK: 1968 Unwin |
| Bilbo's Last Song |
Mifflin |
1974 |
UK: 1974 Unwin |
| The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth |
Unwin |
1975 |
|
| Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl and Sir Orfeo |
Unwin |
1975 |
US: 1975 Mifflin |
| The Father Christmas Letters |
Unwin |
1976 |
US: 1976 Mifflin |
| Pictures By J.R.R. Tolkein |
Unwin |
1979 |
US: 1979 Mifflin |
| Unfinished Tales |
Unwin |
1980 |
US: 1980 Mifflin |
| Poems and Stories |
Unwin |
1980 |
US: 1980 Houghton |
| Letters |
Unwin |
1981 |
US: 1981 Mifflin |
| Mr Bliss |
Unwin |
1982 |
US: 1983 Mifflin |
| Finn and Hengest |
Unwin |
1983 |
US: 1983 Mifflin |
Christopher Tolkien
The History of Middle-Earth
| Title |
|
Date |
Notes |
| The Book of Lost Tales Part 1 |
Unwin |
1983 |
US: 1984 Mifflin |
| The Book of Lost Tales Part 2 |
Unwin |
1984 |
US: 1984 Mifflin |
| The Lays of Beleriand |
Unwin |
1985 |
US: 1985 Mifflin |
| The Shaping of Middle-Earth |
Unwin |
1986 |
US: 1986 Mifflin |
| The Lost Road |
Unwin |
1987 |
US: 1987 Mifflin |
| The Return of the Shadow |
Unwin |
1988 |
US: 1988 Mifflin |
| Treason in Isengard |
Unwin |
1989 |
US: 1989 Mifflin |
| The War of the Ring |
Unwin |
1990 |
US: 1990 Mifflin |
| Sauron Defeated |
Unwin |
1992 |
US: 1992 Mifflin |
|
|
