The Silmarillion

First edition, first impression.  366pp, with folding map between rear endpapers.  Black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles on the spine.  Top edge sprayed blue.  8vo.  Cloth gently rounded at corners and spine ends, a few small, mild marks.  Slight bump to edge of first and last few leaves else internally neat, clean, bright and tight.  This is the domestic issue of the first edition, printed by Billing and Sons (an export edition, printed by Clowes, was published simultaneously).  

Tolkien offered his publishers a version of The Silmarillion following the success of The Hobbit, but it was refused as ‘too Celtic’.  Tolkien set the stories aside in favour of writing another book, one which was to become Lord of the Rings.  Following Tolkien’s death years later, his son Christopher, edited the stories and arranged for their publication.