The Tinder Box
The Tinder Box is a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, first published on 8 May 1835 by C. A. Reitzel in Denmark in the first booklet of Fairy Tales Told for Children. A soldier gains a tinderbox that summons three huge dogs. In 1946 it became the first full-length Danish animated feature film.
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First published
- C. A. Reitzel, 1835
Which edition do you have?
Editions
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- Fyrtøjet film, 1907
- The Tinderbox film, 1946
- The Tinderbox film, 1951
- Staraya, staraya skazka film, 1968
- The Flint animated film, 1985
- Fyrtøjet musical, 2005
In print
- Editions recorded
- 19 on Open Library, 12 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 24 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Steadfast Tin Soldier1838 · 2 editions
- The Ugly Duckling1843 · 1 edition
- Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales1846 · 2 editions
- The Wild Swans1863 · 1 edition
- Fairy Tales and Stories1866 · 1 edition
- The Nightingale1880 · 1 edition
- The Snow Queen1894 · 2 editions
- Fairy Tales from Hans Christian Andersen1899 · 1 edition
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
How many editions of The Tinder Box are there?
We track 1 edition of The Tinder Box. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The Tinder Box been adapted?
Yes, including Fyrtøjet (musical, 2005), The Flint (animated film, 1985), Staraya, staraya skazka (film, 1968), according to Wikidata.
When was The Tinder Box first published?
The Tinder Box by Hans Christian Andersen was first published in 1835.
Where these facts come from
- The Tinderbox, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Fairy Tales Told for Children. First Collection., Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- The Tinderbox (Q1167862), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 22 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.
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