Books

Allen & Unwin, 1974 4th printing of the 1969 3 in 1, Deluxe Indian paper edition. 4th printing late the same year, but the 3rd and 4th printings are more scarce for some reason? They may have increased the print runs significantly by the 5th printing. True fine book with unique 1st State slipcase, one of a kind. In box not slipcase. I believe the 3rd printing was issued in a slipcase, like 1st and 2nd printing, but there are no A& U records to confirm, only what appears on the market. Bookstores or later owners may have swapped them around sourcing any available box. 3rd slipcases may have end up swapped onto the more scarce 1st and 2nd. I've seen and sold 1974 3rd printings with slipcases and boxes. I've not see many 1974 4th printings. I believe the 4th 1974 printing was the first to come in a special LotR box with label, likely released 1975. This example supports it as this slipcase is paper covered, not vinyl. This must be the first ever box as they switch to hard wearing vinyl as with the deluxe Hobbits. The first 1976 Hobbit had a paper covered box like this, in which must have been the prototype style being developed? The 1976 Hobbit, likely produced late 1975, the same time they were designing new boxes for the LotR deluxe. 5th printing 1976 boxes and later are vinyl. Does it matter? Yes, new collectors are always interested in printing errors which are common, but planned production variations called states are usually in low numbers are truly rare. Like the different states of first edition slipcases, the early and first boxes are extremely valuable as much as the books. Keen collectors want what no one else has. I've never seen one like this one in 22 years and given there is unlikely to be a flood of them, its very valuable.