Artunderwraps

First Edition Prices, Values and Auction Results

Even before Roald Dahl introduced the world to Willy Wonka and Matilda, Dahl published a lesser known work, James and the Giant Peach in 1961. For fans and collectors this red cloth first edition is a little more elusive than its more famous follower Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, making it all the more sought after. This story of an orphaned 8 year-old boy who finds escape from his two cruel aunts through the vehicle of a giant peach was an early sign of Dahl's ability to open the door to uncharted literary realms. Its subtle reference to "a chocolate factory" also serves as a precursor to the most popular of his works. The fantastic giant peach is featured on the front of the dust jacket of the American version through the illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. Asking prices vary depending on condition, inclusion of the dust jacket and issues of the first edition. The British version was published 6 years after the first American edition by George Allen and Unwin Ltd. (London). First edition and first issue copies and an autograph by Dahl may bring as much as $10,000, but some first editions and second issues can be found for under $1,000.

We collected a sample of 8 auction results of Dahl, Roald's James and the Giant Peach from 3 different auction houses. The lowest overall price realized in our sample was $660 and the highest overall price realized was $10800. The overall average price was $3878 and the median price realized for the book was $3212. There were 2 auctions (29%) with a price realized below the low estimate, 2 auctions (29%) exceeding the high estimates, and 3 auctions (43%) within the range of the low and high estimates.