TOLKIEN, J.R.R.; Christopher TOLKIEN (editor). The Silmarillion. London: George Allen & Unwin. 1977.
8vo. Wove paper. Original dark blue cloth lettered in gilt to spine with decoration after Tolkien’s heraldic device of Lûthien Tinûvieï stamped to upper portion of spine, top edge stained dark blue, in the dustwrapper with heraldic device of Lûthien Tinûvieï outlined in white to front panel and five further heraldic devices: Fingolfin, Eärendil, Idril Celebrindal, Elwë, and Fëanor (also by Tolkien and outlined in white) to rear panel; pp. 365, [3, foldout map affixed to second blank]; a little softened to lower spine tip; lower edge of cloth a touch faded where light has seeped under the wrapper, the wrapper itself with just the merest edgewear; a lovely copy, the binding square, the blue topstain and wrapper spine unfaded; a very near fine copy, in like wrapper.
A lovely first edition, first printing (the domestic issue, priced £4.95 to front flap and printed by Billings & Sons) of the work, published posthumously, that underpins Tolkien’s works of Middle Earth.
Described on the jacket as “the central stock of J. R. R. Tolkien's imaginative writing, […], a sombre vision in the mode of myth and legend”, The Silmarillion developed throughout the author’s life and was posthumously edited and prepared for publication from manuscripts by the author's son, Christopher. The work’s origins precede The Hobbit, which was independently conceived but eventually drawn into the “branching acquisitive theme” that produced The Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion tells the story of the First Age in Tolkien's world, which characters in The Lord of the Rings look back upon, and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, take part.
The volume includes several other shorter works besides The Silmarillion proper. Preceding it are the Ainulindalë or Music of the Ainur, the Valaquenta. After The Silmarillion comes the Akallabêth and finally Of the Rings of Power. The volume is completed by a Note on Pronunciation, an Index of Names, an Appendix on Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names, and, bound to the rear, a fold-out Map of Beleriand and the Lands to North.
In his bibliography, Wayne Hammond notes that the intention was for a first printing of 100,000 copies, but by the end of May 1977 “booksellers' orders included 65,000 from overseas, and the print run was increased to 300,000. Later the order was raised to 325,000, and in September to 375,000.” More than one printer was employed to achieve these numbers. Hammond concludes that the initial impression seems to have been 200,000 copies of the export edition printed by Clowes and the domestic edition printed by Billings, with later impressions of 50,000 and 75,000 for the book club edition (printed by Clowes). Hammond notes that owing to “continuous production, virtually identical sheets, and simultaneous (or near- simultaneous) publication of all copies worldwide, it seems pointless to make much of a distinction [of precedence for these initial batches].” This copy is the domestic edition, with the UK price of £4.95 net printed to the front flap.
Hammond A15b.
SKU: 2123890