Tove Jansson

[Lalwendë]

I've just been having a poke around and found the illustrations by Tove Jansson for a Swedish edition of The Hobbit: http://www.zepe.de/tjillu/hobbit/index.html

They're not my imaginings of what Hobbits look like, but I do like them! I especially like Smaug with his six legs, and they're slightly creepy but cute at the same time. Her version of Gollum is worth checking out - he's huge!

Tove Jansson incidentally is more famous for creating Moomintroll: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tove_Jansson

Any of you Scandi-Downers know more about this edition of The Hobbit? I'd like to get one! It does look very old (and hence probably collectible and expensive) though.

[Thinlómien]

A year or two ago a Finnish edition of the Hobbit was published with those pictures by Tove Jansson. Unfortunately, it's not currently available anywhere - all the copies have been sold and they have not taken a new edition of it. But if you're hunting for it, it might be slightly easier to find than the Swedish one as it's a bit newer.

[Kath]

You know, they look a bit like Moomins the way she draws them.

[Lalaith]

Oh good find, Lal!
I love Tove Jansson. I'm not sure about her elves but I her Lonely Mountain is fabulous and her Bilbo adorable.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Any of you Scandi-Downers know more about this edition of The Hobbit? I'd like to get one! It does look very old (and hence probably collectible and expensive) though.

The original version was published in the beginning of the seventies I think. We had that in my home when I was a kid. My dad read it to me and my sis when we were really young.

The translation was horrible though. It was made into a children's book and heavily abridged.

But yes, I do love the pictures as well.

Sadly the old version in my parent's home is coloured by me for I so much loved them that I decided to give them a tuning up with my masterly under 10-year old colouring skills...

The book surely is hard to come by as Lommy said. Maybe you should go for the Swedish version?

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Sadly the old version in my parent's home is coloured by me for I so much loved them that I decided to give them a tuning up with my masterly under 10-year old colouring skills...

The book surely is hard to come by as Lommy said. Maybe you should go for the Swedish version?

I hope you kept inside the 'lines' and your colouring was tidy

I've already been scouring online booksellers for either a Swedish or Finnish copy - don't mind which - but no luck yet.

Bilbo is very cute indeed in those pics! Oddly the illustrations remind me a bit of Noggin The Nog!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I saw these some time before, when certain good-hearted Downer linked me to them I don't remember exactly my first reaction, but I liked them very much, though they do not reflect the world as I imagined it. But somehow, it fits - in the "child" way (also reminds me of Letters from Father Christmas, you know, and these things). But it's true that they look also like coming from a tale from the Moominvalley.