Tolkien Musing - Death of Smaug Hobbit

This page is a visual look at the cover changes to the UK 3rd edition Hobbit paperback first published in 1966 and featuring the ‘Death of Smaug’ picture drawn by Tolkien himself.

The aspects of the cover which change throughout the various publications are:

Size

Front cover price

Front cover publisher

Back cover publisher

Back cover publisher logo

Back cover publisher logo position

Back cover price

Back cover reference type

Back cover book list

Back cover artist credit

Spine publisher logo

Spine book number

Inside cover book list

All the publications of this design are 3rd Editions.

Tolkien Books website has more details on this book:

http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=132

http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details2.php?id=139

Note: the actual impression printed inside the books is inconsistent with the dates published, the printed impression is given here in brackets. Some examples to show this are given below.

* = books in my collection

1st Impression (printed 16th), 1966

    

2nd Impression (printed 17th), 1966

Same as previous

3rd Impression (printed 18th), 1967

Same as previous

4th Impression (printed 19th), 1967

Same as previous

5th Impression (printed 20th), 1968

Same as previous

6th Impression (printed 21st), 1969

Same as previous

*7th Impression, 1969

Same as previous

*8th Impression (printed 19th), 1970

Front cover price - removed by back cover

Back cover book list - removed to inside cover

Back cover logo position - moved

Back cover artist credit - moved

Back cover price - added

Back cover reference type - SBN added

Inside cover book list - added

    

 

*9th Impression (printed 20th), 1970

Back cover price - changed

Back cover reference type - changed to ISBN

    

*10th Impression (printed 21st), 1971

Back cover logo - changed

Spine logo - changed

    

11th Impression, 1971

Smaller size

Back cover price - changed

    

12th Impression, 1971

Same as previous

13th Impression, 1972

Same as previous

*14th Impression, 1972

Same as previous

15th Impression, 1972

Same as previous

16th Impression, 1973

Same as previous

17th Impression, 1973

Same as previous

18th Impression, 1974

Same as previous

*19th Impression, 1974

Back cover price - changed

    

*20th Impression, 1975

Front cover publisher - removed

Back cover publisher - removed

Back cover price - changed

Spine logo - changed

Spine book number - removed (as book list removed)

Inside cover book list - removed