Hobbit: original version, not revised

jackm8 · 08-17-2026, 11:02 AM

Is original version available anywhere?

.edit.
It appears that "The Annotated Hobbit" (2002), mentions all the changes in its annotations. A bit annoying, but manageable.

rantanplan · 08-17-2026, 11:25 AM

I just went down a rabbit hole. So I'd have imagined that the facsimile edition would be available digitally.
https://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Facsim.../dp/0007440839

But no, it isn't. I googled for it, I even looked at the ....archive.... but nobody seemed to have scanned any of the first editions, like ever.

However, as only the riddle was changed, you can just McGuyver your own version. Here's the only difference with the changes for Lord of the Rings:

https://web.archive.org/web/20190407...t/riddles.html

jackm8 · 08-17-2026, 12:03 PM

Thank you for that. I was under impression that there were some changes to the ending as well. Still, I'd love to see how gnomes instead of elves work on paper. I guess my only option is to find an old copy. I'm not looking at first impression of first edition, but they all appear to be very rare, and expensive.

Quoth · Yesterday, 04:46 AM

Gnomes was a name for Orcs, not Elves.

JSWolf · Yesterday, 05:09 AM

How about these elves?

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Courant · Yesterday, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Gnomes was a name for Orcs, not Elves.

In the Hobbit, orcs are called goblins. Tolkien originally used gnomes for the Noldor, a race of elves.

Quoth · Yesterday, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Courant

In the Hobbit, orcs are called goblins. Tolkien originally used gnomes for the Noldor, a race of elves.

I was referring to the Hobbit vs LOTR.
AFAIK, not in the LOTR or the Hobbit. Authors do all kinds of stuff in the notes, research and early drafts.

08-17-2026, 11:02 AM	#1
jackm8 Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 4500000 Join Date: Nov 2015 Device: none	Hobbit: original version, not revised Is original version available anywhere? .edit. It appears that "The Annotated Hobbit" (2002), mentions all the changes in its annotations. A bit annoying, but manageable. Last edited by jackm8; 08-19-2026 at 05:20 PM.

08-17-2026, 12:03 PM	#3
jackm8 Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 4500000 Join Date: Nov 2015 Device: none	Thank you for that. I was under impression that there were some changes to the ending as well. Still, I'd love to see how gnomes instead of elves work on paper. I guess my only option is to find an old copy. I'm not looking at first impression of first edition, but they all appear to be very rare, and expensive. Last edited by jackm8; 08-17-2026 at 03:26 PM.

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rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 1,241 Karma: 13516840 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Sage, Kobo Aura H2O, reMarkable PaperPro	I just went down a rabbit hole. So I'd have imagined that the facsimile edition would be available digitally. https://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Facsim.../dp/0007440839 But no, it isn't. I googled for it, I even looked at the ....archive.... but nobody seemed to have scanned any of the first editions, like ever. However, as only the riddle was changed, you can just McGuyver your own version. Here's the only difference with the changes for Lord of the Rings: https://web.archive.org/web/20190407...t/riddles.html

Yesterday, 04:46 AM	#4
Quoth Still reading Posts: 15,658 Karma: 114630515 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Gnomes was a name for Orcs, not Elves.

Yesterday, 05:09 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 84,665 Karma: 153788055 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	How about these elves?