The Shaping of Middle-earth

Notes
Three impressions issued, all similar:

1st Impression 1986* - 6,000 copies printed
2nd Impression 1986**
3rd Impression 1987***

*There are three variants of the dustwrapper for the 1st Impression:

1) Price printed on front flap & ISBN printed on back.
2) Price on front flap & ISBN on rear added on labels.
3) No price on front flap or ISBN on rear.

In his Tolkien bibliography, Wayne G. Hammond states that Variants 2 and 3 were intended for Book Club editions, but this may be incorrect: They have Allen & Unwin on the spine and the rear flap shows the ISBN, whereas the Book Club wrapper has Guild Publishing on the spine and a CN reference number on the rear flap. (See Variations in the Shaping of Middle-earth dustwrapper for further information)

**Copies seen bear the Allen & Unwin imprint on the dustwrapper and binding, but the Guild Publishing imprint on the title page and verso. This hybrid edition was sold both by A&U and Guild.

***Not seen. Does not exist?

Further information on the 2nd and 3rd Impressions can be found in the Articles section.

In 1986, Cedric Chivers of Bath bound 150 copies of the 1st Impression for libraries. The binding type is not recorded in Wayne Hammond’s Tolkien bibliography, but was probably hardback.

A Guide to the Contents of this volume can be found in the Articles section.