# Is "The Silmarillion" by J.R.R. Tolkien (ed. Christopher Tolkien) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (ed. Christopher Tolkien) (George Allen & Unwin, 1977) is identified by: UK first: the copyright page states First published in 1977 with no later printing line. Both the UK Allen & Unwin and US Houghton Mifflin editions appeared in 1977.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK first: the copyright page states First published in 1977 with no later printing line
- The folding map is present in a rear pocket
- Green cloth with a gilt device
- Dust jacket art is by Tolkien, the white emblem on a dark ground
- Publisher imprint reads George Allen & Unwin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | J.R.R. Tolkien (ed. Christopher Tolkien) |
| Publisher | George Allen & Unwin |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK first: the copyright page states First published in 1977 with no later printing line |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK first: the copyright page states First published in 1977 with no later printing line. The folding map is present in a rear pocket. Green cloth with a gilt device. Dust jacket art is by Tolkien, the white emblem on a dark ground.

## Is this the true first?
Both the UK Allen & Unwin and US Houghton Mifflin editions appeared in 1977. Precedence is disputed: the US Houghton Mifflin printing is reported to have been released in August 1977, slightly ahead of the UK Allen & Unwin publication in September 1977, so the US edition is sometimes argued to be the true first. A de luxe limited issue signed by Christopher Tolkien also exists.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US book club edition lacks a price on the jacket flap and typically shows a blind-stamped dot on the rear board, and may state Book Club Edition. Science Fiction Book Club printings are common.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Silmarillion* by J.R.R. Tolkien (ed. Christopher Tolkien) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-silmarillion
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.