Incredibly Rare First Edition Copy Of The Hobbit! | Antiques Roadshow

All valuations were correct at the time of broadcast. Could this first edition copy of J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit, published in 1937, be worth more than all the gold in the Lonely Mountain? Hugh Scully and the experts from Antiques Roadshow take a look at some fantastic antiques and the history and stories surrounding them. This clip was filmed in Islington in 1990.
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[@BBCAntiquesRoadshow]

You shall not pass... Without subscribing: kzbin.info/door/Ats6tUdnEQIWZ8EAdVBDKA

[@garrym5682]

Wait, what? “Look at this incredibly rare book - how could you ever have come into possession of this, Mrs Tolkien?”

[@millsathn]

Hahaha 😂

[@MrCraigReynolds]

This book has become precious to me, I will see no harm come to it

[@peterlarkin762]

Protect the precioussss!

[@vincentmckenna1755]

Oh it's your PRECIOUS

[@stevendebettencourt7651]

@@peterlarkin762 “Precious?” It’s been called that before, but not by you.

[@woverby1963]

Love it!

[@BoiledOctopus]

@@stevendebettencourt7651 😆😆

[@56squadron]

What struck me was how beautiful his handwriting was, and while it shouldn't be a surprise, how closely it resembled the rune type things he did when writing the books. It takes either great care or a studied hand to have handwriting that extraordinary.

[@yeahyeah5976]

Sure it’s iconic, but he would have been a writer in his mid-40’s when he penned that letter. It’d be remarkable if a writer had poor handwriting after a lifetime of strict training with ink wells.

[@jama211]

@@yeahyeah5976 Ohh phooey there were loads of people with bad handwriting. His style is beautiful and it was surely rare even then.

[@jameshoffa7085]

shut up

[@happzy]

His writing style is actually exactly how they write in the movies, I mean same font

[@johnr797]

Well handwriting was a serious school subject at upper class schools back when he was a child

[@Soldier4USA2005]

That handwriting in the note is absolutely beautiful......from a time where people still took the time to do things properly and with great care.

[@joe12321]

If you buy JRR Tolkien's letters from Father Christmas, it's full of his handwriting and drawing!

[@mulemule]

It also doesn't hurt to be an expert in calligraphy as Tolkien was.

[@apeekintime]

OR simply from a time when you had to handwrite. My handwriting before phones was pretty bad but it was legible. Now it's about 50/50 if I can even decipher notes I take during a conference call.

[@tmarritt]

You don't remember when doctors had to write things do you?

[@bonchbonch]

At any given point in history, there have always been people claiming that the previous generations did things better!

[@dschonsie]

more than 30 years and several very successful movies later you can easily add a bunch of zeros to the value

[@TheChzoronzon]

Maybe a couple, but no more. 210K were paid in 2015 for one like that, with a handwritten letter in Elvish from J. R

[@6thface]

Sorry, people just do not read anymore. Prices for collectible books continues to plummet.

[@jelio123456]

With so much inflation / money printing recently, im sure its worth more.

[@pesmerga182]

Very successful movies and not so successful TV series

[@mulemule]

@@6thface "Plummet?" Incorrect (and in most cases, quite the opposite).

[@jacobnatal5951]

That book with the personal letter from Tolkien and orginal dust cover sold for (💷137,000.00) in 2015. Thats USD $210,000.00 in 2015. Today in USD that be $267,430.44 & in UK (💷211,683.50).

[@SoSo-li6dn]

id like to read it in the bath while drinking coffee and spilling coffee on it - yeah, that what id do if i had that sort of money,

[@grantross2609]

​@@SoSo-li6dn because of the sheer rarity/provenance of the thing it likely wouldn't matter too much if you further soiled it tho...... never cared for Tolkien too much myself !

[@enmunate]

Best I could give is 3,500

[@mulemule]

@@enmunate *Rick lives!* ♟⭐⭐⭐

[@dracos24]

Could you imagine being the great-grandchild of Tolkien and your parents sold this instead of treating it as a family heirloom ?

[@mr.doctorcaptain1124]

I’d be furious. If I had this, you couldn’t buy it from me for anything shy of enough money to set myself and my children up for the rest of our lives. If we already had that wealth, there is no sum of money on earth that would get me to part with it.

[@niveous5392]

It happens very often, and this is a pretty good case of why it's such a terrible thing. You see this a lot on shows like Pawn Stars too, and it's even worse in that case because they're clearly scamming you and you can't even bother to get a real price for whatever it is. Anything to make a quick buck or two I guess.

[@201hastings]

Some people prefer the money over the book. Maybe they need it. You’re making an ignorant assumption

[@pepperypeppers2755]

Remind me, antiques roadshow appraises antiques, correct? So there is no obligation to sell. It's fun knowing you have a valuable heirloom, doesn't imply she ever sold it. Could have just come on the show for the experience, or to appraise its insurance value.

[@antipattern0]

Simon has always been jealous of his grandfather.

[@cchavezjr7]

She says her husband is Tolkien's grandson and he just ignores her completely...wow.

[@darthmarticusLFC]

I’ve seen this clip before, it’s weird how it just avoids all context of that.

[@cchavezjr7]

@darthmarticusLFC yup. I remembered pretty early on I've seen it before and the whole provenance was just thrown out the door.

[@UncleRichard.]

its probably "not good for tv" to say, oh my husband is his grandson and they just gave him this book while they were throwing things out. they want to hear, you found it in a dumpster type of stuff. Nobody cares when rich families have rich things.

[@joshlewis575]

​@cchavezjr7 that's what I was thinking, u have a hand written letter from the man himself included with the 1st edition. Hope she didn't sell, it's worth way more than that fella was thinking. Even back then

[@Finians_Mancave]

His non-reaction suggests that this was all set up beforehand between the Tolkien family and the AR producers. You see this all the time with so-called "reality" shows. Some of the most obvious (ridiculous) non-reactions happen on the Pawn Stars show when unbelievably rare and expensive items are inexplicably brought into their Las Vegas pawn shop instead of say, a high-end auction house (like Sotheby's, etc).

[@minimoog4236]

You'd have thought that "my husband is JRR"s grandson" would have merited at least an "Oh...okay" but nope, no comment whatsoever. Funny as.

[@mulemule]

Right?! (A true Brit!)

[@telbel4979]

Wow! That valuation was....a huge anticlimax! I thought he was going to say £100,000. That letter might have been sellotaped in by JRR himself.

[@DaveBartlett]

The expression on her face was more one of slight disappointment than of joyful surprise. I think she was expecting more.

[@iwonder1216]

This was in the 90’s. First editions sell for $500 000 now. This one probably more

[@MrCovi2955]

@@iwonder1216 Not to mention the popularity of the IP itself has massively increased thanks to 2 very successful trilogies and the Amazon flop that got people interested in the Silmarillion.

[@mulemule]

Adjusted for inflation, £3,500 British pounds in 1990 was worth £8,145 pounds or $14,500.00 USD ... a high price even then.

[@snowboardfamilyof4]

I didn't realize they were going to use monopoly money instead of real money to quote her. kinda messed up if you ask me.

[@lilitharam44]

Since this clip was filmed, I wonder how much it's value has gone up? Beautiful book, love to have it.

[@joshlewis575]

He said it was worth 3000ish. For sure it's at least 10x that. With a hand written note from Tolkien himself, probably ever more.

[@Brinta3]

*its value

[@msresu]

@@joshlewis575 same was sold on auction for $210,500 without letter from Tolkien

[@Jorg05111980]

@@msresu Same condition?

[@donsolos]

​@@msresu and the letter is the most valuable part of it

[@larrykuenning5754]

"Aunt Jane" seems likely to be Jane Neave. There are several letters to her in _The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien_. It was at her suggestion (made in 1961) that he published the collection of poems called _The Adventures of Tom Bombadil_.

[@mulemule]

Great catch! 🙌

[@AndyZach]

Thanks Auntie Jane for the idea!

[@vp_wrld]

I was expecting a much higher price but I guess you gotta remember the time period this was filmed in

[@firefenixful]

true, the movies didnt exist, only nerds knew this shit

[@prubly68]

My favorite book of all time! I would love to own that copy!

[@NR-rv8rz]

Read it around 1979/80 at age 15 when my English teacher recommended it and I'd never heard of it until then. Then I devoured TLOTR. Then sat in front of the radio every Sunday lunchtime for 6 months listening to the BBC radio play of TLOTR with Ian Holm playing Frodo. Longed for a movie version and a short time later, the animated TLOTR movie was released. It was an amazing time and age to discover the books. Then another twenty years before the movie trilogy kicked off. Let's not talk about the Amazon series.

[@katelights]

and then Ian Holm went on to play Bilbo in the movies :D

[@jeremypearson6852]

I suspect the value of that book has somewhat increased since a new generation has been introduced to Tolkien.

[@celebrim1]

First editions now go for 100 times that price.

[@kandykush4204]

I had the same version as a kid around 35 years ago… I doubt it was 1st edition but it looked exactly the same!

[@john_Doe6578]

#howcanimakethisaboutme

[@ObsessedCollector]

Probably a facimile anniversary edition

[@bonchbonch]

@@john_Doe6578 How dare people have a conversation about a topic they share interest in. Better to stay terminally online.

[@fatbeachvanm9693]

@@john_Doe6578 ur a loser bro hahaa'

[@12345.......]

​@@john_Doe6578 Are you looking for attention? Go back in corner, the adults are talking.

[@CallardAndBowser]

I would think that particular book would fetch near a million dollars today in 2023.

[@joncarroll2040]

​@@DanielJones-xj9nt plus the provenance of being a copy that belongs to Tolkien's grandson probably increases the value somewhat.

[@petert1692]

No, the condition is fair to poor. If it was in better condition and the dust jacket was in better condition, perhaps. Value now at about $75K.

[@geoffos42]

@@petert1692 See below comment from Jacob Natal: "That book with the personal letter from Tolkien and orginal dust cover sold for (£137,000.00) in 2015. Thats USD $210,000.00 in 2015. Today in USD that be $267,430.44 & in UK (£211,683.50)."

[@pnotuner1]

You can't expect it to be pristine once it has been There and Back Again

[@mrpzpdx]

Right?!!

[@OddWoz]

How this isn’t more valuable with the provenance and everything astounds me. What a steal at a few thousand.

[@bonscott6353]

So you could say its precious

[@pretty-white-lamb]

Tolkien's handwriting is beautiful.

[@Kratos-005]

Have you seen his Elvish language handwriting? It’s so beautiful looking.

[@JordanBeagle]

A couple years ago I bought a copy of the 1937 Facsimile Edition from Indigo and I'm glad it looks like they did a good job reproducing it, including the jacket and little maps and graphics inside

[@RGRGJKK]

Pura vida guys great book with family history I have one the first edition of the Hobbit but in Spanish edition from 90's 😅🎉❤

[@rachelcookie321]

That cover design is so pretty compared to some of the more recent covers.

[@wishingonthemoon1]

I can’t imagine how much it would go for now!

[@mh8889]

My husband is Tolkien’s grandson “Yes but he hasn’t used a dust wrapper I’m afraid” Okay………….

[@arzabael]

Holy shit. The hand writing.

[@martineldritch]

And here I was all happy with my 1982 Ballantine paperback when I came across this video.

[@NH365]

My 4th grade teacher read us that book a few dozen pages at a time.

[@farrd14]

I borrowed that same edition from a public library in Malta some 35 years ago! Anyway now I am proud owner of 1st edition Silmarillion, typos and all.

[@tothelighthouse9843]

People need to understand the context here. This was filmed in 1990, before the LOTR films & before Tolkien became a worldwide phenomenon. In 1990 Tolkien was a mildly respected writer with a dedicated cult following--this lady-relative is likely genuine in wondering what the first edition was worth, & 3500 pounds is a reasonable valuation. Cut to a decade ago, post-films, post-Tolkien-mania, & a first edition in excellent condition sold for almost 150,000 pounds. The valuation for the first edition in this video would be off the charts today.

[@chad0x]

Incredible

[@kegginstructure]

It is interesting that the Tolkien letter was in a cursive hand-lettered script that resembles the cursive letters in the books.

[@AndyZach]

I believe Tolkien did the cursive letters in the books.

[@random22026]

He took great care in every detail. 😌😌

[@jbradshaw4236]

Wonderful book

[@bonwatcher]

That valuation had the impact of an Austin Powers movie when Dr. Evil asks for a ransom of one million dollars in today's money. I am sure thirty+ years and a few Tolkien movies later that the valuation has gone up a little bit.

[@1nePercentJuice]

3.5k is a steal. I hope she held onto it, thought I imagine she's likely to have benefited immensely from the future movies/show.

[@robertrostad3930]

That’s the copy I read in 1988! Elementary school library, dust-jacket intact.

[@surreyboy84]

I wish I could go back in time & pick up pristine first editions of books like this. I’d make a fortune. Even Harry Potter first editions are worth a fortune now.

[@ObsessedCollector]

Or go back in time and buy stocks when they were pennies, or buy the company 😊

[@MrPeachblossom]

i.d go back to sit and talk to him

[@mulemule]

@@MrPeachblossom "Fool of a Took!" 😉

[@oliverholmes-gunning5372]

Oh really? I have a couple in mint condition actually (Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince if memory serves). I'll check it out, thanks for the tip!

[@scottnunnemaker5209]

We had one of these as a kid, I think it came from a grandparent or great grandparent who passed away, pretty sure we colored on the pages when left unsupervised.

[@TheJoyfulEye]

Wow. I would never pay that for a book, but if I WERE going to pay that for a book, that's the book I would pay it for :) Fantastic story and Tolkien was a fantastic author.

[@SpiritualSoulSurfer]

I tried to sell a Lord of the Rings book to a Bangkok book trader in 2001 before the movies came out. He wouldn't take it because he looked at when it was published and it was too old! 🤣🤣🤣

[@farpointgamingdirect]

I have an exact reprint of this edition. The interaction between Bilbo and Gollum is completely different

[@actually-will1606]

Tolkien revised it when writing lord of the rings. It’s explained to be bilbos original description of the story.

[@chuckyboy6977]

When I was in middle school in the late 70’s, the Hobbit was used as a class reading exercise book. Each of us kids in class were given a copy to read from in class, if only we all knew, there were about 35 1st edition copies that sat on Mr Barnaby’s shelves for years..

[@georgerendell7292]

Ugh that is genuinely heartbreaking

[@georgerendell7292]

They couldn’t have first editions in the 70s though surely?

[@tobydammit]

There were only 1500 copies of The Hobbit produced in its first edition. I doubt they were rattling around on Mr. Barnaby's shelf.

[@supercompooper]

I wish my first edition was signed 😢

[@JayBigDadyCy]

I can't even imagine what that book would go for now after all the movies and likely ne wealthy collectors. Stuff like that has to be very, very rare. Probably looking at mid to high 6 figures I'd guess for the right buyer.

[@EvilFinian]

One sold in 2012 for $210,000 but it was in mint condition - this one according to a quick look would be $50,000+

[@apeekintime]

@@EvilFinian This one probably has extra value, even at this condition, to collectors now because it came from the personal library of the Tolkien family. That's a bragging right rich people love to have. "Oh, my first edition came directly from the horses ass, and I own it now"

[@BicycleFunk]

I had a version that looked like that. Think I put it I a free library. It's not a bad book.

[@michaelwallace4298]

I had one of those as a child - One of the reasons I became a writer! No signed letter from Tolkien though...

[@BirdsfromHuntingdon]

As a fan of Tolkien and an avid collector of many things, I could never sell that.

[@hardy3089]

Idgad if she used sticky tape or not that note from Tolkien makes that book virtually priceless to a collector

[@tolvaer]

well done

[@paulrodsted3905]

I don't know what edition it was but my dad used to have a copy just like this

[@garymcatear822]

I was expecting him to say 50K or something, not £3500.

[@dave623]

It sold for $48,000 a few months before the movie came out in 2003. Probably worth $500,000 now.

[@hypsin]

I was ballparking 250K+ You'll be lucky to find original DJ in good shape for 3.5K these days...

[@PLF...]

Considering this is not only a long time ago, and you can buy leather bound current versions for a pretty hefty price these days the price today would probably be 4-5-6 times that if not more.

[@r8chlletters]

Worth millions now I’d imagine.

[@malcolmdrake6137]

These guys are hired to get views. The items are NEVER worth a fraction of what they claim.

[@AI67890_]

@@malcolmdrake6137utter bullshit

[@planetdisco4821]

My holy grail! Got the LOTR trilogy as first editions but will never be able to afford this I suspect…

[@c17sam90]

I like how he doesn’t mention that the chapter riddles in the dark is completely different in the first edition

[@ejbbur4673]

l have a copy of this book but not sure if it's a First Edition. It has the same dust cover, so was wondering if 2nd edition had the same cover.

[@maddyg3208]

Back when Gollum was happy to give the ring to Bilbo ...

[@manfraydayyeah5731]

..... and when Elrond was as kind as Christmas.

[@rgjertsen]

Three and a half... *Eyes open widely* Thousand pounds! "Oh! Wow..."

[@theknightofdoom260]

I'm pretty sure I had this as a kid and I crayoned all over it.

[@dinoflagella4185]

Imagine checking this book out of your library and returning it because of late fees. You could have had your hands on a treasure.😂

[@nategoodwin3329]

Ummm, I have a book that appears identical to this minus the personal note. Same cover, binding etc. Am I sitting on a forgotten treasure? Mine shows a copyright of 1966 though. Any help or resources on how to get the value would be appreciated greatly.

[@CDNChaoZ]

Yours would be a later reprint and not worth much I'm afraid. The first edition is from 1937, the publisher listed as "George Allen & Unwin Ltd" and would have the misprint as noted in the video.

[@andysim232]

Her own. Her precious

[@roygfs]

Today, this would be worth many times that!

[@mikeuk4130]

I wonder if Simon knew that she was getting the book valued. I’m sure I saw the $ signs in her eyes just before the valuation was given. What a fabulous book. I hope it has ended up with Simon, or somebody else deserving of it.

[@jackryder-sw9rk]

A 1st ed. book will be worth £35,000 - £38,000 today. Tolkeins own copy passed to his son with signatures and a signed letter, probably £50,000, Some auction houses estimate £200,000 plus.

[@56squadron]

@@jackryder-sw9rk That's the point everyone is missing here - This was HIS copy.... it doesn't get better than the authors own personal copy, and hopefully it remains in the family.

[@WiggaMachiavelli]

Simon would probably give it to Amazon for a pat on the head and a 'good boy'.

[@golDroger88]

@@56squadron Knowing the grandchildren it's probably better if it does not remain in the family.

[@4seeableTV]

She's not a robot. That's the whole point of going on these programs. Any of us would be excited just before the evaluation. They're still married by the way.

[@dannil9878]

Today you could add two zeros and two bodyguards to this, If this book would ever come to this show again

[@codyscott7962]

Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo! (Sept 22) Also, it'll definitely get more than 3.5k now.

[@Keltibarian]

I had that book with that dust cover, except my dust cover was in near perfect condition. Did subsequent print runs use the same dust cover? I just want to know if I threw away a fortune.

[@David-bw7is]

If you buy a copy of The Hobbit today in hardback it'll most likely have the same dust cover as the first edition. The only editions I've seen with different dust covers are illustrated versions of The Hobbit.

[@bellerophonchallen8861]

yes you did, the copy I had, 5th edition in the same jacket with scribbling all over the maps and inscribed 'to Andrew love Mummy', raised £92,000 at auction.

[@ObsessedCollector]

It's the most reprinted jacket. Unless it was pre WW2, it's not much

[@jedaaa]

I have the exact same copy

[@ZepplinOnFire]

Only 3.5K?!?! You would be mad to part with this heirloom for anything less than 20 times that.

[@FordHoard]

This was in 1990, so I'm sure it's worth way more now.

[@HunterShows]

Yes well this appraisal was done in 1938, so...

[@Humma_Kavula]

@@HunterShows what? You think this show was in 1938..?

[@TemujinBC]

"Two things that knocked me out..." Ok we got something good here

[@madzen112]

Where it all started :)

[@davedogge2280]

nice

[@CoalMinorCanary]

I became friends with the illustrator of that book at an art gallery under very fun circumstances. Barbara was such a talented and cool person…

[@poolhall9632]

Yeah, I think the sticky tape passes the test in this particular case because it maintained the letter with the book

[@Jo-yp8wy]

My Mum read us not only the entire Hobbit but also The Lord Of The Rings. My sister was scared. I wasn't 😂.

[@tanteblanchefilms]

I have a first edition copy of The Hobbit, but it isn't signed. My Great Uncle bought it when it first came out. I'd like to sell it, but don't know where to look.

[@PtolemyJones]

I've had that cover! It couldn't have been first edition though, could it? I'm assuming it must have been a copy of some sort.

[@peterlawson8563]

correct. The publisher kept printing the same cover for many decades. Given it was painted by JRR himself, it was a good idea to keep using it

[@PtolemyJones]

@@peterlawson8563 Ahhh, that makes sense. Thanks for that info, would have been upset if I had a first edition and didn't know it. Shocked at the low value of this one.

[@peterlawson8563]

@@PtolemyJones remember this was 30 years ago. I reckon the valuation now would be many multiples of that now, easily add a zero ...

[@joncarroll2040]

It's one of the more popular editions and probably the least expensive hardback version since its marketed as the kid's version rather than the adult one. I currently have it and its probably the nicest of the Tolkien editions I own.

[@foodstick]

It shocks me this could have been written so long ago.. It just seems so impossible...

[@janethaagenstad8380]

Why isn’t the British Antiques road show on American television anymore? I really miss it.

[@Bluechief6]

You can hear his brain after she answers "by marriage." "Hmm... by marriage... so less nerd points for you then."

[@justsomeguy6474]

I can't believe that's all it's worth!

[@scubascoob7441]

that was back in 1990

[@armorykittington]

350k seems real low to me. Priceless. Precious.

[@surreyboy84]

I bet it’s worth a lot more than that now thanks to the movie franchise.

[@petergeorge2716]

It's worth a lot more than that!

[@packetcreeper]

I would've thought the auction price to be much higher.

[@ericinla65]

MY ORIGINAL COPY had included the One Ring to Rule them All.

[@JLee-rt6ve]

Then that sneaky hobbit stole it and lost it someplace. Didn't even have it insured.

[@somarriba333]

Isn't Simon now head of the estate?

[@foehammer1172]

He's a Director and was a consultant for the Amazon series (as well as an author in his own right). Probably doesn't need to sell this book ;)

[@jaymzgaetz2006]

Funny...I've seen listings for that book for upwards of $16,000

[@davidpeters6536]

Amazing, looks just like the copy I was loaned to read in 1976 by an ex-girlfriend's dad. It didn't have a letter from JRRT in it and the ex wasn't related to him but it was a great read when I had flu..

[@jonathanmcknight8296]

This is Tolkien's personal copy??

[@warrengouldthorpe5091]

I've seen first editions of the hobbit go anywhere from £20,000 upto half a million

[@TheUgly1s]

wait.. I have this book.. lol

[@robertkahn9151]

Now worth GBP 80,000+ in that condition with the author's signature.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

That is a $30k book now for sure.

[@user-bq2nu2bn7u]

I have a first US Edition / first print of this , althought I was told it was a library edition, its still valuable. Im not sure how much but would be interested to know and possibly sell it.

[@ryanzepp8897]

Didnt know Foolish Baseball appraised books

[@KonTikiTraveler]

Dude built this up like it was going to be her retirement fund

[@MRMORGAN817]

Didnt Tolken tape the letter?