For the first time, a beautiful slipcased edition of the enchanting prologue to The Ruling Ring, illustrated with over 50 sketches, drawings, paintings, and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, with the full text printed in two colors and many additional features unique to this edition.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling further than his pantry in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive at his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They plan to steal the treasure of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

Written for his own children, The Hobbit was published on September 21, 1937. With a beautiful cover design, a handful of black and white illustrations, and two maps by the author himself, the book became an immediate success and was soon reprinted with five color plates.

Tolkien’s personal selection of finished paintings and drawings has become an integral part of his text, adorning editions of The Hobbit for more than 85 years. But the published art has offered only a glimpse into Tolkien’s creative process, and many additional sketches, color paintings, and maps – although displayed and published elsewhere – have never appeared within the pages of The Hobbit.

In this unique deluxe edition of Tolkien’s enchanting classic tale, the full panoply of his art is reproduced for the first time, presenting more than 50 illustrations to accompany Bilbo Baggins on his journey ‘there and back again’.

Unique to this edition are two poster-size fold-out maps revealing all the details of Thrór’s Map and the Wilderland, an illustrated 88-page booklet, and a printed art card reproducing the original painting adorning Tolkien’s dust cover. It is additionally crafted with a quarterbound technique, with raised ribs on the spine, stamped in three foils on black cloth boards, and housed in a custom-made case. The pages are edged in gold and include a ribbon marker. Pages: 384, Dimensions: 14.9x14.9cm