Artunderwraps

First Edition Prices, Values and Auction Results

Literary characters of childhood fill a landscape of memories for most people. Among these cherished personalities lies the incredulous Willy Wonka of Roald Dahl's confectionery world in his book debut in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What began as an inspiration from his own childhood, Dahl transformed an experience of trial tasting chocolate bars into one of the world's most beloved books about a candy inventor which later evolved into two very successful and beloved movies. Dahl's first editions (American and British) offer two playful and attractive dust jackets. The red-cloth American edition illustrated by Joseph Schindelman and published by Alfred A. Knopf (New York) in 1964 tickles the visual taste buds with its unwrapped chocolate bar on the front cover of the dust jacket and a sketching of tantalizing posters advertising Wonka's wares on the back of the jacket. The original jacket also presents a 6-line colophon (this was later revised to 5 lines). The British version illustrated by Faith Jaques and published by George Allen and Unwin Ltd. (London 1967) presents a color pictorial of Charlie inside the wondrous factory with his guide, Wonka. The 162-page 1^st edition adventure into optimism is accessible in the $100 range when the condition claims damage and wear, but for superior condition copies and a rare Roald Dahl autograph it can command as much as $11,000.

We collected a sample of 29 auction results of Dahl, Roald's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from 3 different auction houses. The lowest overall price realized in our sample was $60 and the highest overall price realized was $11250. The overall average price was $1817 and the median price realized for the book was $1020. There were 13 auctions (59%) with a price realized below the low estimate, 4 auctions (18%) exceeding the high estimates, and 5 auctions (23%) within the range of the low and high estimates. Auctions of interest include: a PBA sale on July 27, 2017 of a 1964 - Knopf edition for $1560 that described as "near fine in very good jacket"; a Swann sale on November 10, 2016 of a 1964 - Knopf edition for $3250 that first issue; a PBA sale on May 10, 2012 of a 1964 - Knopf edition for $1560 that described as "very good"; a Bonhams sale on October 04, 2010 of a 1964 - Knopf edition for $1708 that first issue; a Swann sale on April 24, 2008 of a 1964 edition for $2160 that first issue; a Swann sale on April 20, 2006 of a 1964 - Knopf edition for $3680 that described as "an unusally bright and fine copy"; a PBA sale on September 15, 2005 of a 1964 - Knopf edition for $3000 that described as "about fine in near fine jacket";