Which publisher first published J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit?

George Allen & Unwin first published J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

The London publishing house issued The Hobbit on 21 September 1937. Stanley Unwin’s son Rayner read an early version and gave it a strongly positive report, helping persuade the firm to publish it. The book quickly attracted attention and became a commercial success.

The publisher also issued The Lord of the Rings in the 1950s, making George Allen & Unwin closely associated with Tolkien’s major fiction during his lifetime. American editions involved different arrangements, including Houghton Mifflin. Collins later became connected with Tolkien’s publishing history after disagreements and negotiations concerning The Silmarillion and related works.