A rare first edition of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit has set a new auction record, selling for £43,000. Printed in 1937, this first edition is one of only 1,500 copies ever made and was discovered during a home clearance in Bristol, missing its original dustcover but in beautiful condition. The book had been estimated to …
Rare JRR Tolkien Book Fetches £43,000 at Auction
A rare first edition of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit has set a new auction record, selling for £43,000. Printed in 1937, this first edition is one of only 1,500 copies ever made and was discovered during a home clearance in Bristol, missing its original dustcover but in beautiful condition.
The book had been estimated to sell for £10,000-£12,000, but after attracting a global audience of hundreds of bidders, it far exceeded expectations. Caitlin Riley, a book specialist from Auctioneum in Bath, described it as “the quintessential auction story,” saying, “Everyone dreams of finding a rare item hidden in plain sight, and here we are.”
A Rare Find with Special Provenance
The edition came from the family library of Hubert Priestley, a renowned 1930s botanist and brother to Sir Raymond Edward Priestley, an Antarctic explorer and geologist. The Priestley brothers had strong ties to Oxford University, where Tolkien himself held the position of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon and was a Fellow of Pembroke College. Both Hubert and Raymond were acquainted with C.S. Lewis, a key member of The Inklings, Tolkien’s literary circle. This provenance adds significant value to the book, making it more than just a rare first edition.
“It’s the connection to Tolkien and the important provenance that makes this book so special,” said Caitlin Riley. “It’s not just any first edition; it belonged to someone who very likely called Tolkien an acquaintance.”
Condition and Rarity
What makes this particular copy especially valuable is its pristine condition, despite the fact that The Hobbit is a children’s book, and most surviving first editions have been well-worn and even marked with children’s coloring pens. According to Ms. Riley, it is “astonishingly rare” to find a first edition in such remarkable condition. She added, “To have one that appears to be completely unread and never enjoyed is really, really astonishingly rare.”
This 1937 edition of The Hobbit is the forerunner to Tolkien’s legendary work, The Lord of the Rings, and includes reproductions of Tolkien’s own illustrations, making it an even more valuable piece for collectors.
The Power of House Clearances
Ms. Riley also reflected on the serendipity of the discovery, noting that house clearances can sometimes lead to unexpected treasures. “House clearances can be tricky, stressful, and troublesome. This could have so easily been sent to landfill or disposed of by someone who didn’t realize it was there,” she said.
This rare edition of The Hobbit serves as a remarkable reminder of the unexpected finds that can surface, adding a rich layer of historical and literary significance to the world of book collecting.
The sale of this first edition of The Hobbit highlights both the enduring appeal of Tolkien’s works and the immense value of rare, well-preserved copies with special provenance.
