Rare edition of Tolkien classic to fetch thousands at auction

‘HOLY Grail’ first edition of The Hobbit is set to sell for thousands at auction after being discovered during a routine house clearance.

- TOM BEVAN

The copy of JRR Tolkien's 1937 work was discovered tucked deep into an old bookcase at a home in Bristol. It is one of only 1,500 copies initially printed in September 1937.

Such was its popularity that within weeks all copies had been sold and a second printing was undertaken. The surviving books from the initial print run are now considered some of the most sought-after in modern literature.

It’s expected to fetch over £10,000 when it is sold by Auctioneum Ltd, an auction house in Bristol and Bath, this Wednesday. The auctioneers said the original owner had passed away and they had been called in to assess the contents.