Books published by publisher George Allen

Shipped from UK, please allow 10 to 21 business days for arrival. The Magic Finger, hardcover, 1st Edition. Slim square 8vo. 40pp. Profuse and marvellous illustrations and coloured illustrated endpapers by William Pene du Bois. Very good clean tight sound, gently shaken, no bookplate, inscriptions or marks of any kind, free from foxing and browning. In coloured pictorial matt boards gently dusted and with very slight surface creases discernible to the touch more than the eye, upper leading corner very slightly creased. A lovely copy of this rare edition, the third of Dahl's books for children, with delightful illustrations to this seldom seen tale.

Our story begins with a young freckled, faced redheaded kid named Billy, and his twin sister, Nina, and of course their big lovable black dog Osa, and did I mention their dear old loyal friend Doctor Wonky? An eccentric funnyman with a thin black mustache and a patch over his right eye, he lives in a grand Victorian home with his butler, Alford, a thin tall baldheaded man, and also with his housekeeper, Betsy, a blonde headed robust gal full, of love and passion. The twins would come and call on them and enjoy tea and crumpets that Betsy would bring into his fascinating large laboratory, full of strange and exotic specimens that the doctor would bring back from his worldwide travels.

This deluxe collector's edition of Tolkien's modern classic is boxed and bound in green leatherette with gold and red foil rune stamping on the spine and cover. The text pages are printed in black with green accents. It includes five full page illustrations in full color and many more in two color in addition to Thror's map -- all prepared by the author. J.R.R. Tolkien's own description for the original edition: "If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did) -- if you do not already know all about these things -- much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period. For Mr. Bilbo Baggins visited various notable persons; conversed with the dragon, Smaug the Magnificent; and was present, rather unwillingly, at the Battle of the Five Armies. This is all the more remarkable, since he was a hobbit. Hobbits have hitherto been passed over in history and legend, perhaps because they as a rule preferred comfort to excitement. But this account, based on his personal memoirs, of the one exciting year in the otherwise quiet life of Mr. Baggins will give you a fair idea of the estimable people now (it is said) becoming rather rare. They do not like noise."

Shipped from UK, please allow 10 to 21 business days for arrival. 2nd Edition, 8th Impression, 1974. Royal 8vo. 352pp. Excellent coloured folding map in original folds to rear. Very good clean tight sound square, no bookplate, inscription or marks of any kind. In bright gilt lettered red cloth very gently rubbed to foot of spine and lower edges. Tolkien is as ever a delight, in this seminal edition.