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Magpie
Immortal

Sep 21 2012, 3:46pm
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** World Hobbit Day ** Get your party hats and then tell us about your favorite Hobbit edition or illustration
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PARTY HATS:
On this, the 75th Anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit, we commence a celebration. What kind of celebration would be if we didn't have party hats... otherwise known as avatars and footers. If you want a footer like mine carrying one of 75 different Hobbit book covers from across time and countries/languages, jump to this post for information on how to get one. If you want an avatar from a collection of 75 created from Hobbit book illustrations, jump to this post for information on how to get one. My usual habit of displaying magpie avatars is temporarily suspended to show Klaus Ensikat's illustration of a raven from the second German The Hobbit-edition of 1971. If anyone here has this edition, I'd love to know if this raven is identified as Roäc. With our party hats (and slippers?) in place... let's talk Hobbit book editions and illustrations.
FAVORITE HOBBIT BOOK EDITIONS
Tell us about the copy/copies of the Hobbit you own or have read or maybe one you've just lusted after. If you own multiple copies, do your own conversions of the question below to indicate plural. Choose one or two to focus on if you own too many to discuss.
- what language is/was it in
- what cover does it have. If you can find an image of it on the web, link to it. If you can't, or don't have the time, just describe it. (see links below)
- did it have illustrations
- is it old, valuable, or otherwise noteworthy
- fill in the corners as you like: - favorite memories of reading it? was it a beloved gift? did you save forever to buy an expensive edition? do you have fond memories of reading it? _________?
FAVORITE HOBBIT ILLUSTRATIONS When I created the bank of 75 Hobbit book illustration avatars, I tried to confine it to illustrations actually used in a published book. (although I think one or two that weren't actual book illustrations may have crept in there). But for this discussion, let's open it up to any Hobbit illustration.... even your own. This is a free range discussion. Identify the artist if you can and basic info on whether it was used in a book or some other application (calendar? game board?). We could even open it up to forms of artwork beyond illustration.
POSTING IMAGES - a reminder There are guidelines (rules, really) about how large an image embedded in a post here can be. The limit is measured in two ways: pixel dimensions and KB size. If you want to know more about this, follow the link in my footer. But this is a fun day and who wants to work hard at anything so, if you are in doubt about whether the image you want to show people is 'legal' to post inline... just link to it. It makes it easier for everyone. :-)
SITES DOCUMENTING VARIOUS EDITIONS OF "THE HOBBIT" I used the following sites quite a lot while preparing the avatars and footers for this celebration. You might enjoy browsing them and you might find the copy of the book you own at one of these sites. Rolozo Tolkien - illustration gallery for a variety of Tolkien's books Tolkien Collector's Guide Hobbit.ca : Book Collection / Visual Library Hobbits of the World The Hobbit Hunter Babel Hobbits H.O.B.B.I.T.I.S.H ! : Hobbitish Or " Bilbo Baggins" Illustrated", The International Sketched Hobbit. Elrond's Library
LOTR soundtrack website ~ magpie avatar gallery TORn History Mathom-house ~ Torn Image Posting Guide
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One Ringer
Tol Eressea

Sep 21 2012, 4:12pm
Post #2 of 26
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The 1998 Collins Modern Classics edition.
It's a nice copy, plus I love the smell of its paper. Unfortunately, the smell has started to die as it's had a lot of use, and I'm very tempted to purchase a new copy to hand off the burden to. Still, I'll probably continually read it in the years to come. The copy I have in mind to get is the 70th Anniversary edition, but I'm also enticed by the collection of both The Hobbit and LotR that contains illustrations by Alan Lee (and they are a very nice edition themselves).
FOTR 10th Anniversary Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33xJU3AIwsg "You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear, and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."
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SirDennisC
Half-elven

Sep 21 2012, 7:16pm
Post #4 of 26
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My answers below refer to the 1976 or 77 Canadian Edition from Methune Publications. I've accumulated, lent or lost a few editions in the years since then including at least 3 copies of the aforementioned Canadian edition. Among the ones I can lay my hands on currently are (again) the 77 Methune Edition, a 1999 soft cover Harper Collins with an Allen Lee Smaug, and a 2000 HC soft cover of the 1997 illustrated by Allan Lee edition (with gold ink). So from your Hobbit.ca Book Library link This one: http://www.hobbit.ca/1976Hobbitmethuen.jpg This one: http://www.hobbit.ca/...bitHarpercollins.jpg; and This one: http://www.hobbit.ca/...obbitdealerfield.jpg (And I know the 1982 Unwin paperback is kicking around here somewhere.) So now, about the 77 Methune edition: what language is/was it in UK English. what cover does it have. Tolkien's Smaug in his lair did it have illustrations Just maps as I recall. is it old, valuable, or otherwise noteworthy The copy I have is held together with Scotch tape, pretty much destroyed. And I'm not entirely sure it is the actual first copy I ever owned. fill in the corners as you like: - favorite memories of reading it? was it a beloved gift? did you save forever to buy an expensive edition? do you have fond memories of reading it? _________? My favourite memory is of reading it by candlelight when the power was out one stormy autumn night... I was about 10 years old and I had a nice mug of hot chocolate near at hand, with a cinnamon stick in it.

Want a The Hobbit cover of your own for World Hobbit Day? Click Here Thank you Magpie!
(This post was edited by Ataahua on Sep 21 2012, 8:28pm)
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silneldor
Half-elven

Sep 21 2012, 11:05pm
Post #5 of 26
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a circa 1965 version (95 cents) of TH that is on my shelf but do not use.
''Sam put his ragged orc-cloak under his master's head, and covered them both with the grey robe of Lorien; and as he did so his thoughts went out to that fair land, and to the Elves, and he hoped that the cloth woven by their hands might have some virtue to keep them hidden beyond all hope in this wilderness of fear...But their luck held, and for the rest of that day they met no living or moving thing; and when night fell they vanished into the darkess of Mordor.'' - - -rotk, chapter III Faerie contains many things besides elves and fays and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants or dragons; it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are one in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted." — J.R.R. Tolkien May the grace of Manwë let us soar with eagle's wings!
In the air, among the clouds in the sky Here is where the birds of Manwe fly Looking at the land, and the water that flows The true beauty of earth shows With the stars of Varda lighting my way In all the realms this is where I stay In the realm of Manwë Súlimo "The original sin is to limit the Is. Don't" - Richard Bach
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weaver
Half-elven

Sep 22 2012, 3:04am
Post #6 of 26
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A Babo! I figured if the Hobbit can turn 75 I can avatar-myself for the occasion! (Thank you for providing the kind of visual aid instruction that we Tech-Princesses love!)
Weaver
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator

Sep 22 2012, 3:07am
Post #7 of 26
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What a great list of Hobbit sites, thank you, Magpie! The Hobbit I use most is the revised and expanded edition of Douglas Anderson's Annotated Hobbit. I love the samplings of illustrations from books published around the world, and appreciate the immense amount of painstaking work Anderson put into obtaining all the info he's placed in the margins. I had an earlier edition, but donated it to the local used book store when I acquired this one. I also have a hardcover Hobbit which came boxed with John Rateliff's "History of the Hobbit" books, but it's in pristine condition, hardly used at all. I have two paperback editions. Not my original paperback from the '60s, which had the Barbara Remington pink bulb tree cover: that one fell apart long years ago. One is a 50th anniversary edition with a Roger Garland Smaug on the mountain-top cover painting, published by Unwin Paperbacks in London in 1987, and found at a tag sale. The other is a 1978 Ballantine edition with Tolkien's "Bilbo comes to the Huts of the Raftelves" on the cover, and was given to me by a dear TORnsib (*hugs*!). I also have a "serendipitous" copy. A few months ago I had ordered the Hammond/Scull "Art of The Hobbit" online at Amazon, through one of their many book-resellers. Well, they sent the wrong book: they sent one much more "precious"! What came was a smaller box than I had expected, and when I opened it up, there was this gorgeous, deluxe 2004 edition, London-published HarperCollins hardcover Hobbit in a slipcover, with a delightful forward by Christopher Tolkien and an abundance of Tolkien's drawings and sketches - including a fold-out page so that you can hold the Map up to a light and read the Moon-letters! What a geeky thrill to be able to do that! Tolkien would be so pleased.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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weaver
Half-elven

Sep 22 2012, 3:14am
Post #8 of 26
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Now that I've A Babo'd myself, I'll answer the question!
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I have a very well worn Hobbit edition that has an old green cover. I got it in college, so it's a "few" years old. My Hobbit copy has survived: 1) being dropped in the bathtub by me numerous times (I have 3 boys, bathtubs are the one place you can go to read a book uninterrupted!) 2) being read while cuddling with my oldest son 3) being carried in a backpack and stuffed in an elementary school locker by my middle son 4) living in my youngest son's very messy room (but hey, he loved it so much he asked for it and I could not turn him down -- for awhile he even posted here as "hobbitboy". ) So it's well loved and living on!
Weaver
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One Ringer
Tol Eressea

Sep 22 2012, 3:33am
Post #9 of 26
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Like-minded geniuses, right?
FOTR 10th Anniversary Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33xJU3AIwsg "You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear, and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator

Sep 22 2012, 3:34am
Post #10 of 26
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Hobbits are indeed resilient, aren't they?
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Lookit that! An avatar! *high five* The Magpie has taught you a shiny new skill!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire"
(This post was edited by dernwyn on Sep 22 2012, 1:49pm)
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One Ringer
Tol Eressea

Sep 22 2012, 3:37am
Post #11 of 26
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I never thought I'd see the day, weaver. Also, I don't think I could ever stand any book in my library going through so much "torture" for lack of a better term. Granted, I've been a bit more easy with allowing some wear at the edges.
FOTR 10th Anniversary Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33xJU3AIwsg "You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear, and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."
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weaver
Half-elven

Sep 22 2012, 3:38am
Post #12 of 26
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now, let's just see if I can figure out how to do it again sometime!
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Magpie gave me a whole bunch of fun weaver images, which have been collecting dust for years...I will just have to go and dust them off and try again after that party winds down!
Weaver
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weaver
Half-elven

Sep 22 2012, 4:04am
Post #13 of 26
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ha! well, you know what this means...
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It's the end of the world as we know it! I had some qualms about my poor book getting such a rough ride, but it's hard to turn down your kids, you know? And I always fall asleep in the tub! (I also lent it to my youngest kid's best friend...a football player (!)...so it's now survived five boys and counting...but I think it was a good trade-off for getting them all hooked... )
Weaver
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One Ringer
Tol Eressea

Sep 22 2012, 12:47pm
Post #14 of 26
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Certainly can't argue with that! //
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FOTR 10th Anniversary Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33xJU3AIwsg "You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear, and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."
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grammaboodawg
Immortal

Sep 22 2012, 3:35pm
Post #15 of 26
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and the one copy I'm lusting after the most is to find a well-loved, dog-earred, nobody wants me copy of the 1st edition. I know it's out there... I can feel it calling out to me! In the meantime, I have several copies I've accumulated through the years in various languages, but the one I read out of the most is my old copy that I was hoping Dom Monaghan could sign ;) I've scribbled the descriptions of each dwarf, what they ate when they arrived at Bag End and which musical instrument they play. It's already filled with notes in the margins and my favourite passages/sections underlined. Now I'm also highlighting direct lines from the film(s) as they're discovered... just like I did to my LotR paperbacks I've been reading every year since 1971. Surprisingly, I read The Hobbit for the first time way after I read LotR... so it was completely enthralled with who Bilbo was, how Gandalf interacted with him, and the story of how the Ring, Sting and Gollum came to be. Instead of listing my Hobbit books, here's some shots of my shelves :) HAPPY 75th ANNIVERSARY to THE HOBBIT!!! my Hobbit bookshelf pt1 my Hobbit bookshelf pt2 my Hobbit bookshelf mags & album Hobbit 50th Anniversary signed by Royd Tolkien my Hobbit signed by Sean Astin Thanks so much, Magpie, for the WAY AWESOME footers and avatars... and for helping us to give attention to The Hobbit on this fabulous anniversary!!
I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world. TORn's Observations Lists Unused Scenes
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator

Sep 22 2012, 5:04pm
Post #16 of 26
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Beyond awesome. This is true love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Magpie
Immortal

Sep 22 2012, 6:44pm
Post #17 of 26
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I don't have much memory at all of reading the Hobbit back in the late 60s. I didn't keep whatever book I read, and I might not have actually owned the book I read. I might have borrowed it from the library. As I had kids, I did pick up used copies of both TH and LOTR for them - so I had those available to read when I wanted to (and it took me about 4 or 5 tries before I could make myself read The Hobbit. Boy, I just did not respond to that book like I did LOTR). But, as I got other, better copies, of TH, I got rid of those older, used copies. So the two copies I own are: The History of the Hobbit set I won with my entry -- the song and accompanying folkdance, "In the Shire" -- for the "Show Us Your Hobbit Pride" competition. The Annotated Hobbit, which I purchased at the Marquette Tolkien conference and had signed by Douglas Anderson. Looking at gramma's pictures also remind me I own a little book called, "Poems From The Hobbit." and another one, "Tolkien's Hobbit Postcard Book". And I own The Hobbit audio book on CD I also own: The Hobbit book with art from the Rankin & Bass cartoon. The Hobbit BBC audio drama with Paul Daneman as Bilbo Baggins (cassette) The Hobbit Mind's Eye audio drama with Ray Reinhardt as Bilbo Baggins (CD) I'm also quite sure I have The Hobbit in a 45 record and booklet for children but that stuff is packed away who knows where so I can't check.
LOTR soundtrack website ~ magpie avatar gallery TORn History Mathom-house ~ Torn Image Posting Guide
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Silverlode
Forum Admin
/ Moderator

Sep 22 2012, 10:18pm
Post #19 of 26
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And also motivation to keep them (and maybe rotate through a few more of them) longer!
Silverlode
Don't have a Hobbit Day footer? Want one? Click here!
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imin
Valinor

Sep 23 2012, 4:55pm
Post #20 of 26
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The copy i have always wanted since finding out it exists has been the super deluxe 1987 (year of my birth) hobbit. There were 500 made with the first 100 signed by Christopher Tolkien. They are made from lovely green leather which to me makes them look like 'proper books. Absolutely beautiful. Of course i also want a 1st edition, first impression, first state but the chances of that happening are pretty slim with the amount they cost to have them in decent condition - my collection ranges from very good +, fine to mint, with most being in fine condition - for me i think whats the point in paying a lot for a book if its in terrible condition. My favourite copies that i own are probably the one i first read with, which was just a standard paperback, which is now very well read and i gave to my sister as a present after i read it to her. Also the 1976 deluxe edition, again i think this is a beautiful edition (as are all the editions of this type). Comes in its own little box and its all so delicate!
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grammaboodawg
Immortal

Sep 24 2012, 12:51am
Post #23 of 26
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Just when I thought you'd outdone yourself
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You've gone and done it even more!! This is incredible, Magpie! And what still has me in awe is how you've made it look at though you've had each and everyone one of those posting for their photo. Well done, my friend. Fantastic :) Thank you so much!
I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world. TORn's Observations Lists Unused Scenes
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weaver
Half-elven

Sep 24 2012, 4:49am
Post #25 of 26
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*Mods up*! Three Cheers for Magpie for helping us get dressed up for the occasion!
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I even avatared myself just for you! THANK YOU so much for all the work you put into this -- you are a treasure!
Weaver
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