The Hobbit Facsimile Gift Edition [Lenticular cover]: The Classic Bestselling Fantasy Novel

£50

Only 1 piece in stock!

This sumptuous gift set includes a replica of the very rare first edition of The Hobbit, the only edition where one can now read the original version of the story before Tolkien re-edited it to become the one enjoyed by readers since 1951.

The Hobbit was published on 21 September 1937, with a print run of 1,500 copies. With a beautiful cover design, nearly a dozen black & white illustrations and two black & red maps by the author himself, the book proved to be popular and was reprinted shortly afterwards. History was already being made.

The scarcity of the first edition has resulted in copies commanding huge prices, way beyond the reach of most Tolkien fans. In addition, subsequent changes to the text – particularly those to chapter 5, when Tolkien decided in 1947 to revise the text to bring it better into accord with events as they were developing in its ‘sequel’, The Lord of the Rings – mean that the opportunity to read the book in its original form and format has become quite difficult.

This special commemorative gift set includes the first edition, so that readers of all ages – not just ‘children between the ages of 5 and 9’, as Rayner Unwin famously declared in his report on the original submission – can finally enjoy Tolkien’s story as it originally appeared. It also includes an exclusive CD of archive recordings that capture Tolkien reading from The Hobbit, a special copy of Thror’s map which reveals the secret moon-runes when held to the light, and an accompanying booklet that relates the history of The Hobbit, and includes connected writings by JRR Tolkien.

The Royal Armouries has a permanent display of five heroic swords based on the prop weapons used in the epic ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ movies. You can find out more here.

  • Publisher: ‎ HarperCollins; 1st edition (31 May 2018)
  • Language: ‎ English
  • Hardcover
  • 312 pages
  • ISBN-10: ‎ 0008259542
  • ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0008259549
  • Dimensions: ‎ 14.1 x 4.4 x 19.6 cm

About the author;

J.R.R.Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The HobbitThe Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over 80 languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

Dimensions: Approx. 22cm x 17cm x 5cm

We process orders daily, Monday to Friday. Excluding Bank Holidays. 

UK

UK Delivery

Excluding Swords, Daggers, Crossbows and Flintlocks - See UK Age Check Delivery
Collect instore (Leeds Museum) - FREE
Collect within 7 days
UK Standard 3-5 Working Days - £4.99
Free on orders over £60
UK Express 1-2 Working Days - £6.99

UK Age Check Delivery

For replica Swords, Daggers, Crossbows and Flintlocks
UK Age Check 3-5 Working Days - £8
Free on orders over £200
UK Age Check Express 1-2 Working Days - £20

 

Please ensure that someone is available at the delivery address to receive your order. Any undelivered or uncollected parcels will be returned to sender. We will automatically issue a refund for all products once they have been received back at the museum, however, shipping is non-refundable.

18+ Age Verification

All sales of replicas and alcohol require age verification. You will be asked for proof of age at point of delivery.

Collect in store

  • Collections can be made from the shop at Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds during opening hours.
  • You will be notified via email once your order is ready for collection.
  • Once you receive this notification, we will hold your order for 30 days.
  • Please bring your order confirmation and ID that matches the name on the order.
  • Limited short stay, road-side parking is available on Clarence Road or Citipark operate the nearby Leeds Dock multi-storey car park. Please note that parking charges may apply.

Pre-orders

All items in orders containing a pre-order product will be shipped together when the pre-order product is available for dispatch. Please check the pre-order product page for further updates. 

*Free UK Delivery

Free UK Delivery applies to orders over £60, excluding items eligible for the Age Check shipping service (swords, daggers, flintlocks and crossbows). For those items excluded from the £60 offer, the free shipping threshold is set to £200. 

International Shipping

Europe

0-2kg - £7.95
2kg+ - £22.95

International

Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout based on destination and weight.

Please see the international section below for further detail and updates on shipping to the USA and Canada. 


USA

22/08/2025 - We are temporarily unable to ship to the USA however we are working hard to get this resolved as soon as we can. Please check back for updates.

Rest of the World

Please be advised that you are responsible for any import duty that may be charged on delivery of your order. If you are unsure, we advise you to check with your own customs and excise department before placing an order.

The estimated delivery time for Europe, USA and Canada is 7-10 working days and 10-14 working days for rest of the world, however this is not guaranteed. 

Restrictions

Please note that some products are not available to ship outside of the UK. A full list can be found on the Restricted Items page. Orders placed with a non-UK delivery address that include a restricted item may be subject to cancellation and a refund will be issued. If you are unsure, please contact us before ordering.

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