BEAUTIFUL DELUXE ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF TOLKIEN'S HOBBIT

TOLKIEN, J.R.R. The Hobbit. London: The Folio Society, 2002. Tall octavo, original half Wassa goatskin with hand-woven Indian silk boards, top edge gilt; housed in the original morocco-gilt slipcase. $2200.

Deluxe limited edition, number 813 of 1750 copies of this sumptuous Folio Society production, in a striking binding and slipcase by Smith Settle of Otley, Yorkshire.

The Folio Society's illustrated edition of the Lord of the Rings was the first illustrated edition of that work when initially published in 1977; their edition of The Hobbit, also with illustrations by Eric Fraser, followed in 1979. The style of Fraser's artwork here was meant to flow seamlessly with his work for the previous Lord of the Rings books, which had been based on the original drawings of Ingahild Grathmer, the pseudonym of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. The queen initially sent her illustrations to Tolkien in the early 1970s; Tolkien was much taken with them, finding their style similar to his own. Reprinted from the first Folio Society edition of 1979. See Hammond A3.u. With a sweet inked gift inscription on the front flyleaf: "Dear Jessie, 2003 in many ways has been an ugly one for both of us. This book brings back fond memories of better times. Love, Dad."

Book with one tiny rubbed spot to head of spine, otherwise a fine, lovely copy.