Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Dahl, Flight Lieutenant Roald. The Gremlins: From the Walt Disney Production. Random House, 1943.
Price: US$60.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Pictorial boards. Covers rubbed and worn. Edges also very worn; in places, worn to the boards, especially at corners. A 4 inch tear to one page, two smaller tears elsewhere. Library stamp on front endpaper. Inscription in ink on half title. Overall good condition.
Seller: Book Stop, Inc., Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.
Price: US$324.95 + shipping
Description: unpaiginated Moderate wear to extremities and boards else very good condition. Binding sound. Unusually solid copy of this fragile book.
Seller: Jeffrey Blake, Willow Grove, PA, U.S.A.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First printing, demy 4to (11.25 x 8.75 inches), pp. (52) without pagination, 12 full page color illustrations including one double-page and b/w illustrations throughout. Original black spine titled red cloth backed color pictorial boards, pictorial endpapers. Very good+ copy with minor wear to edges and extremities, some minor scratches and rubs to boards. H10690 All Items Are Sent Insured. Insurance charges are included in the Shipping & Handling Charges. International buyers please be aware that we are not responsible for and do not include or estimate customs duties, fees or taxes in any way in our listings. We ship all orders within 5 days of cleared payment. We do not create and are not responsible for shipping times or delays associated with customs and international shipping.
Seller: J & J House Booksellers, ABAA, Kennett Square, PA, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, New York, 1943.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Cover presents with edge wear (including chipping to upper edges), rubbing/scuffing, light scoring (mostly confined to front cover), and corner bumping/wear. Fraying is present at head and foot of spine. Fraying at foot is more severe and has revealed underlying text. Text is otherwise tight in binding. Faint shadowing. Text is clean and free of blemishes throughout. No other markings or indications of note. Due to the size of this ownership, additional shipping charges may apply. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall
Seller: Lowry's Books, Three Rivers, MI, U.S.A.
Dahl, Flight Lieutenant Roald. Gremlins; A Royal Air Force Story. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: 4to, cloth-backed pictorial boards, with color and gray-scale illustrations from the Disney Studio. Light wear to board edges, previous owner added cartoon captions to the front endpaper drawings. Near fine.
Seller: Bud Plant & Hutchison Books, Cedar Ridge, CA, U.S.A.
Roald Dahl. THE GREMLINS from the Walt Disney Production. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 48p. A large hardcover book with a red cloth spine and pictorial boards. Good+ condition. Slits forming in the cloth on the spine and edges of boards are visibly rubbed. Small scuffs here and there on the surfaces of the boards, due to years of normal shelf wear. Early owner's signature on front endpaper. Scattered foxing, all fairly mild, plus occasional small spots and blemishes on the pages; otherwise, text clean and binding tight. The first edition of Roald Dahl's first book, a children's story based on his experiences as an RAF pilot. The story was originally intended to serve as the basis for an animated Disney feature film, but the film was never made. Measures approx. 11.25" x 9"
Seller: Kubik Fine Books Ltd., ABAA, Dayton, OH, U.S.A.
Price: US$515.31 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing, of the author's first book. As noted by the original jacket blurb, "Everybody has heard about the gremlins, the fantastic Little People whose antics have become one of the great legends of the R.A.F." The book was written as a promotional device for a feature-length Disney animation that was never produced, partly because the studio could not establish firm copyright in the "gremlin" characters (Dahl claimed to have invented them, though they had been common currency in the RAF and had appeared in print at least once before) and partly because the British Air Ministry wanted final approval of the script and production. It was eventually agreed that royalties would be split between the RAF Benevolent Fund and Dahl. The book is described on the title and the front cover as being "From the Walt Disney Production"; the Disney studio wrote to Dahl in August 1943 after publication cancelling any further preproduction work. Quarto. Original illustrated boards, red cloth backstrip, spine lettered in black, yellow and red pictorial endpapers. Coloured illustrations throughout. Bookplate of one Roger Marchand to front pastedown, ownership ink stamps to front free endpaper and half-title. Some creases to spine, extremities a little worn with minor colour restoration: a very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Roald Dahl. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$579.72 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Finely bound in black morroco with gilt title to front board. Gilt borders to front and rear boards. Five raised bands to spine with gilt emblems to each compartment. Housed in custom made slipcase with silk ribbon. First American Edition. Original yellow pictorial endpapers bound in, which show slight fading and a couple of marks. Internally the pages are a little age toned with an occasional mark but generally very clean and bright. Illustrations are all present and in good order.
Seller: Moriarty's, Grimsby, LINCO, United Kingdom
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$800.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Fair copy of this first children's book from Flight Lieutenant, Roald Dahl. Original jacket complete, though torn 2/3 of the way up the front panel, from spine through the "G" in Gremlins. Wear to edges, and a small chip from the bottom edge of front panel. The Jacket has also been price clipped. The book is fair with front hinge separated at ffep, scuffing to edges of boards and tanning to pages. Overall a serviceable copy of a scarce book in jacket. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall.
Seller: Peruse the Stacks, Gig Harbor, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$895.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Oversize 9" x 11 1/4" design. Red pictorial boards with bold yellow titles, black spine titles on brick red cloth spine wrap, moderate corner wear, rub. Cover depicts the gremlins at work destroying an RAF fighter plane at front; back cover features similar vignette, hand drill and saw in hand on rear wing. Yellow endpapers feature monochromatic red collage scenes of the horned gremlins playfully using their tools of pickaxe, bombs, oil cans, saws, hammers, etc. with silhouette planes in b.g. Pages very good, clean; no writing. Bind good; hinges intact. Scarce sharp first edition with moderate wear. A whimsical tale of devilish imps creating aerial havoc for the Allied Forces in the skies of WWII. Full page color designs throughout, with b&w illustrations, partial-page imagery and vignettes. Roald Dahl was sent to Washington DC in 1942 as an assistant air attache for the British Embassy. After having a story published anonymously in the Saturday Evening Post, he was encouraged by C. S. Forester to pursue his writing talent. He then wrote The Gremlins, a children's story expanding on a mythical creature enshrined for years in RAF lore, although Dahl claims to have invented the word himself. He sent short story to Sidney Bernstein, the head of the British Information Service, who forwarded it on to Walt Disney. Disney decided to make it into a movie, at one point bringing Dahl to Hollywood for the screenplay. The story was published in Cosmopolitan in December of 1942, and as a book by Random House six months later. The film, however, was sidelined and was never produced. The Gremlins was well received and Eleanor Roosevelt read it to her grandchildren, and even invited Roald to the White House. Apprx. 75 pages. Insured post. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall
Seller: The BiblioFile, Rapid River, MI, U.S.A.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition. Large thin quarto. Corners bumped else near fine in a good dust jacket with scraping and loss of paper mostly on the front panel. Roald Dahl's first book, ironically enough a children's book. Dahl was recuperating from a crash while serving with the RAF when, encouraged by his friend C.S. Forester, he began writing. A manuscript of this first novel was sent to Walt Disney, who decided to make the story into a film, and Dahl went to Hollywood to help with the screenplay. Though Dahl later claimed he invented the term "Gremlins," the pesky devils had actually been part of RAF lore since the previous war. However, they were unknown in the U.S. and Disney, intending to pave the way for the film in the American market, arranged for the publication of this book. Though uncredited, one of the primary artists for this volume was Walt Kelly. Disney's plan was too successful - Warner Brothers produced two short Gremlin cartoons and shortly afterwards Walt Disney lost interest in the project and stopped production on the film. Eleanor Roosevelt enjoyed reading the book to her grandchildren and invited Dahl to the White House (there have been claims, perhaps self-aggrandizing on Dahl's part, that based upon this introduction Dahl served as an unofficial liaison between FDR and Churchill). A nice copy, in a flawed jacket.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$1750.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First Edition. This is the TRUE FIRST EDITION published by Random House, 1943. This First Issue dustjacket has wear to the spine and edges with several close tears. The book is in nice condition. The boards have some wear to the spine and edges. The pages are clean with a previous owner's name nicely written on the front endpaper. There is NO marks or bookplates in the book. A collectable copy at a reduced price with the ORIGINAL scarce dustjacket.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
DAHL, Roald.. The Gremlins. From the Walt Disney Production.. New York Random House, 1943.
Price: US$2117.50 + shipping
Description: First edition, sole printing; 4to (28.6 x 23 cm); colour frontispiece, 11 full-page colour illustrations and one double-page colour illustration, plain line illustrations throughout, pictorial patterned endpapers; publisher's red cloth-backed pictorial boards, minor chaffing along the bottom edge of the boards but a superb copy in the somewhat frayed, price-clipped dust jacket with a couple of very minor chips. A very smart first edition copy of Roald Dahl's first book The Gremlins, a collaborative effort with Disney for a feature-length animation which, in part due to copyright issues revolving around the 'gremlin' characters, never took off. Fortunately the planes and Air Force pilots featured in the story had better luck getting off the ground, but only to be subsequently plagued by these mischievous sprites with mechanical failures and worse. Laid into this copy is a black and white photograph of an animator and Walt Disney looking at some of the concept art for the abandoned movie upon which this book was based.
Seller: Shapero Rare Books, London, United Kingdom
Dahl, Roald & Disney, Walt. THE GREMLINS. Random House, 1943.
Price: US$2158.00 + shipping
Description: THE GREMLINS, Random House, 1943, first edition, upper fore edge corner tips gently bumped, light wear to the lower fore edge corner tips, rubbing and light wear to the bottom board edges, else a bright vg+ copy in a vg dust-wrapper with some modest wear and tear and chipping. Profusely illustrated in full color. Roald Dahl's first book.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins; From The Walt Disney Production. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$2200.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Quarto, [52pp]. Red cloth spine, title in black on spine. Vibrant pictorial boards and illustrated endpapers. No additional printings mentioned. Solid text block, light rubbing to corners, a near fine example. In the publisher's dust jacket, $1.00 retail price on front flap, sunned spine, short closed tears along top edge. Archival tissue repair to verso to stabilize the hinge at the spine. A bright example of a scarce dust jacket. Complete with twelve full-page color illustrations and a color frontispiece. The Gremlins was Roald Dahl's debut novel, and his only one to be initially published by Random House. The story describes the experience of a Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot whose plane is damaged by a gremlin - a folkloric creature imagined by 20th century military members to explain odd faults in machinery. The RAF pilot convinces the gremlins to unite against the common enemy of Hitler and the Nazis. This book was originally designed by Walt Disney Productions to be released in tandem with a full-length animated film of the same story, but the film was never made.
Seller: The First Edition Rare Books, LLC, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.
(DISNEY) Dahl, Roald.. THE GREMLINS FROM THE WALT DISNEY PRODUCTION.. Random House: NY, 1943.
Price: US$2362.50 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Random House: NY (1943). Color illus, 11 x 9", cloth backed pict boards, unpaged, most pp with clean short tears at bottom, eps spotted, ink inscription, stamped dates & two labels on rep, one bottom edge with very minor stain, in torn, worn, chipped but very scarce dw. Dahl was a Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant at this time. FIRST EDITION OF AUTHOR'S FIRST BOOK.
Seller: John K King Used & Rare Books, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
ROALD DAHL. THE GREMLINS. Random House, 1943.
Price: US$2795.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition, First Printing A beautiful, clean, Near fine First edition, First Printing, with the Original Scarce First edition dust jacket. Roald Dahl’s first book. Please see images. The book is in a large format hardcover (about 9″ x 11″) and is profusely illustrated throughout in both black and white, and in color. The boards are in great condition, still maintaining their original sheen. The boards have no edgewear. The corners are ever so slightly rounded with one small tip bump. The binding is tight and square. The original end papers are clean with a repair to a small intact tear, otherwise the end papers have bookplates, no bookstore stamps no inscriptions, and no stains. The internal pages are very clean, bright and flat but a scant few small faded handling marks. Otherwise with no writing, no stains, no bent pages, and no foxing. A very crisp, clean example of this book which is most unusual as children’s books are usually ‘well loved’. The very scarce original first edition, first printing dust jacket has benefited from some slight restoration by an expert paper conservator and presents as a near fine example. The jacket has strong vibrant colors with no edgewear, no chips, no rips, no stains, no rubbing and no fading. Touch of very slight toning to the rear panel. The dust jacket is NOT price clipped and has a stated price of $1.00. Stunning jacket presenting the book beautifully. Please see images. A very handsome example presenting very well with the stunning scarce original jacket and clean, crisp interior at a great price for this title! Would make a great addition to a Roald Dahl collection. ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our ABE store for other landmark Children's books.
Seller: Meier And Sons Rare Books, New Canaan, CT, U.S.A.
Price: US$2800.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Dahlâs rare first book, with 14 vibrant full-page illustrations by Walt Disney Productions. Quarto, original half cloth, pictorial endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by Disney animator Bill Justice on the half-title page with a large drawing of a Gremlin, "Sorry Ray That's a lousy Gremlin Bill Justice." Justice joined Walt Disney Studios as an animator in 1937 and worked on such features as Fantasia, The Three Caballeros, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. He is arguably best known as the animator of the rabbit Thumper from Bambi and chipmunks Chip 'n Dale. He was the director of The Truth About Mother Goose, Noah's Ark, and A Symposium On Popular Songs, all of which were nominated for Academy Awards as Best Short Subject, Cartoon. In total, Justice worked on 57 shorts and 19 features. Good in the rare original dust jacket with some chips and wear. Dahl was sent to Washington in 1942 as an assistant air attachà for the British Embassy. After having a story published anonymously in the Saturday Evening Post, he was encouraged by C. S. Forester. He produced The Gremlins, a childrenâs story expanding on a mythical creature enshrined for years in RAF lore (notwithstanding Dahlâs claims to have invented the word) and sent it to Sidney Bernstein, the head of the British Information Service, who sent it on to Walt Disney. Disney decided to make it into a movie, at one point bringing Dahl to Hollywood to work on the screenplay. The story was published in Cosmopolitan in December of 1942, and as a book by Random House six months later. The film project, however, was sidelined and has never been produced. The story was received positively: Eleanor Roosevelt read it to her grandchildren, and invited Dahl to the White House.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$3000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing. This ORIGINAL UNRESTORED dustjacket is rich in color with light wear to the spine and edges. The book is in great shape. The binding is tight with light wear to the boards. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A sharp copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION with NO restoration.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$3500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing. A wonderful copy. This First Issue dustjacket is rich in color with some repair. The book is in great shape with minor wear to the boards. The pages are clean with light wear. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A lovely copy housed in a custom clamshell slipcase for preservation.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$3500.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition. From the Walt Disney Production. A Royal Air Force Story by Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl. 12 full-page color illustrations, one double-page, and text illustrations in black and white tbroughout. 1 vols. 4to. Dahl's First Book. Written for Walt Disney Productions in anticipation of making a feature-length film, the project was eventually abandoned due to many wartime complications. Quarter cloth and pictorial board in pictorial dust jacket, loose at fore-edge, else almost fine From the Walt Disney Production. A Royal Air Force Story by Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl. 12 full-page color illustrations, one double-page, and text illustrations in black and white tbroughout. 1 vols. 4to
Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$3542.72 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing, of the author's first book. As noted by the dust jacket blurb, "Everybody has heard about the gremlins, the fantastic Little People whose antics have become one of the great legends of the R.A.F." The book was written as a promotional device for a feature-length Disney animation that was never produced, partly because the studio could not establish firm copyright in the "gremlin" characters (Dahl claimed to have invented them, though they had been common currency in the RAF and had appeared in print at least once before), and partly because the British Air Ministry wanted final approval of the script and production. It was eventually agreed that royalties would be split between the RAF Benevolent Fund and Dahl. The book is described on the title and the front cover as being "From the Walt Disney Production"; the Disney studio would write to Dahl in August 1943 after publication cancelling any further preproduction work. Quarto. Original red cloth-backed illustrated boards, spine lettered in black, yellow and red pictorial endpapers. With dust jacket. Coloured illustrations throughout. Edges a little worn; dust jacket worn at extremities with some minor loss and tears, some minor colour restoration, minor adhesive tape repairs to reverse, spine slightly sunned, price-clipped; a very good copy in a very good jacket.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$4500.00 + shipping
Description: A Royal Air Force Story by Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl. Illustrated throughout. Folio, publisher's cloth-backed illustrated boards in dust jacket. First US edition. A bright, very attractive copy with very slight bumping at the corners and rubbing to the bottom edge (where the board meets the shelf only); in a beautiful bright example of the dust jacket with a few tiny rubbed areas and one short tear to the bottom edge of the back panel.
Seller: Jeffrey H. Marks, Rare Books, ABAA, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. THE GREMLINS. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$4500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: (Disney, Walt) THE GREMLINS by Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl. New York: Random House, (1943). First edition. 4to - 9" x 11-3/16". Red cloth backed color pictorial boards with just the slightest hint of rubbing to the very tips of the board corners for a truely superior copy of the book. Priced dust wrapper in very nice condition with a couple of short closed tears, the longest being 7/8" is strengthened with archival tape on the back, and slight rubbing to the corners. Color pictorial endpapers. [52]pp. in as new condition. Twelve full page full color illustrations and one double-page full color illustration plus black and white drawings within text on every text page by the Staff of the Walt Disney Studios. The condition of the book is FINE. The condition of the dust wrapper is VERY GOOD +. Rare in such nice condition.
Seller: Wallace & Clark, Booksellers, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
Dahl, Roald. The Gremlins. Random House, New York, 1943.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Dahl on a laid in signature. A wonderful copy. This ORIGINAL sophisticated dustjacket is vibrant in color with NO chips or tears. This First Issue dustjacket has the $1.00 printed price present on the front flap. The book is in excellent condition. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning. The boards are crisp with minor wear to the edges. The pages are exceptionally clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a beautiful copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION in collector's condition. We buy SIGNED Dahl First Editions.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
DAHL, Roald. The Gremlins [very likely Roald Dahl's Own Copy]. Random House, 1943.
Price: US$5088.64 + shipping
Description: Complete with original typed & signed Roald Dahl letter (loosely laid in) on Dahl's "Gypsy House" notepaper dated 27/9/90 - "Dear Mr, Martin/Thank you for your letter. I will buy your "Gremlins" copy. Here's my cheque/Yours Roald Dahl". True first edition, first printing. 4to. A very good+ copy with clean boards. Some edgewear to extremities. Internally very clean indeed with no inscriptions & importantly with this title - non of the usual splitting to Gremlin illustrated endpapers. The very good dustwrapper has a few short closed tears - a couple with old tape strengthening to rear. Some edgewear to other extremities with nicking at spine corners. Original first issue price of $1.00 to top right of front flap. None of the usual fading to red spine. An attractive copy of the true first printing of Dahl's first book complete with original dustswrapper and with provenance which suggests it was owned by the author himself just three months before his death on 23rd November 1990. Dahl's first children's book about mischevious little creatures that were part of RAF folklore.
Seller: Julian Roberts Fine Books ABA ILAB PBFA, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
DAHL, Roald.. The Gremlins. From the Walt Disney Production.. New York: Random House, 1943, 1943.
Price: US$9661.97 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing, inscribed on the half-title "To Ann with love from Roald Dahl 9/7/43." Roald Dahl's first book and his only collaboration with Walt Disney, The Gremlins was written as a promotional device for a feature-length Disney animation that was never produced, partly because the studio could not establish firm copyright in the "gremlin" characters (Dahl claimed to have invented them, though they had been common currency in the RAF and had appeared in print at least once before) and partly because the British Air Ministry wanted final approval of the script and production. It was eventually agreed that royalties would be split between the RAF Benevolent Fund and Dahl. The book is still described on the title and the front cover as being "From the Walt Disney Production", although the Disney studio had written to Dahl in August 1943 cancelling any further preproduction work. Quarto. Finely bound by the Chelsea Bindery in red morocco, spine lettered in gilt, single rule to boards gilt, block to front board gilt with multi-coloured morocco onlay of seven cavorting gremlins with a further onlay of the cavorting gremlins to the back board, twin rule to turn-ins, dark green endpapers, gilt edges. Illustrated throughout in colour and black and white. The occasional minor blemish, an excellent copy finely bound.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$11000.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Dahlâs rare first book, with 14 vibrant full-page illustrations by Walt Disney Productions. Quarto, original half cloth, pictorial endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by Walt Disney on the half-title page, "To Joan With Best Wishes Walt Disney." In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Dahl was sent to Washington in 1942 as an assistant air attachà for the British Embassy. After having a story published anonymously in the Saturday Evening Post, he was encouraged by C. S. Forester. He produced The Gremlins, a childrenâs story expanding on a mythical creature enshrined for years in RAF lore (notwithstanding Dahlâs claims to have invented the word) and sent it to Sidney Bernstein, the head of the British Information Service, who sent it on to Walt Disney. Disney decided to make it into a movie, at one point bringing Dahl to Hollywood to work on the screenplay. The story was published in Cosmopolitan in December of 1942, and as a book by Random House six months later. The film project, however, was sidelined and has never been produced. The story was received positively: Eleanor Roosevelt read it to her grandchildren, and invited Dahl to the White House. The 1984 film Gremlins, produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Joe Dante, is loosely inspired by Dahl's characters, featuring evil and destructive monsters which mutate from small furry creatures.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$12000.00 + shipping
Description: First editionÂof Dahlâs rare first book, with 14 vibrant full-page illustrations by Walt Disney Productions. Quarto, original half cloth, pictorial endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page in the year of publication, "To Tim xxx from Roald Dahl 19/6/43 There should be a bowler hat and a tail." Dahl has added a drawing of a hat and a tail on the gremlin. In near fine condition. Rare and desirable signed and inscribed in the year of publication. Dahl was sent to Washington in 1942 as an assistant air attachà for the British Embassy. After having a story published anonymously in the Saturday Evening Post, he was encouraged by C. S. Forester. He produced The Gremlins, a childrenâs story expanding on a mythical creature enshrined for years in RAF lore (notwithstanding Dahlâs claims to have invented the word) and sent it to Sidney Bernstein, the head of the British Information Service, who sent it on to Walt Disney. Disney decided to make it into a movie, at one point bringing Dahl to Hollywood to work on the screenplay. The story was published in Cosmopolitan in December of 1942, and as a book by Random House six months later. The film project, however, was sidelined and has never been produced. The story was received positively: Eleanor Roosevelt read it to her grandchildren, and invited Dahl to the White House.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$12689.39 + shipping
Description: First edition, first printing. Inscribed presentation copy. Publisher's original pictorial boards, in dustwrapper. Illustrated with 13 full page (one double page) colour plates and black and white drawings by the Walt Disney Studio artists throughout the text. An attractive near fine copy, the binding square and fresh with just a little shelf wear rubbing at the corners. The contents are clean throughout and without previous owner's marks. Complete with the very good rubbed, nicked and creased dustwrapper that has several small chips to the edges and some archival strengthening to short closed tears and splits on the underside. Not price-clipped ($1.00 to the top of the front flap). Signed and inscribed by Walt Disney in black ink on the half title "To Ann Gale / from / Walt Disney". A highly desirable example of Roald Dahl's first book. The Walt Disney Production referred to on the upper cover was abandoned due to copyright issues surrounding the "Gremlin" character, thus copies inscribed by the legendary studio owner and animation pioneer are very scarce. Further details and images for any of the items listed are available on request. Lucius Books welcomes direct contact with our customers.
Seller: LUCIUS BOOKS (ABA, ILAB, PBFA), York, United Kingdom
DAHL Roald DISNEY STUDIOS. Gremlins. , 1943.
Price: US$13500.00 + shipping
Description: DAHL, Roald. The Gremlins. A Royal Air Force Story by Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl. New York: Random House, (1943). Slim quarto, original half red cloth, pictorial boards, pictorial endpapers, original dust jacket. Housed in custom pictorial clamshell box. $13,500.Presentation first edition of Dahl's rare first book, with 14 vibrant full-page illustrations by Walt Disney Productions, twice inscribed by him: on the half title, "To Joe and Steve with love from Roald Dahl 10/5/47," and opposite the half title, "One by one a cow came by/ Howling around for the moon/ They asked me where the hell it was/ I said it's gone you dopesyou're much too soon. R." An exceptionally elusive and desirable Dahl first edition in any condition, particularly in the original dust jacket and inscribed by him.Dahl was sent to Washington in 1942 as an assistant air attaché for the British Embassy. After having a story published anonymously in the Saturday Evening Post, he was encouraged by C. S. Forester. He produced The Gremlins, a children's story expanding on a mythical creature enshrined for years in RAF lore (notwithstanding Dahl's claims to have invented the word) and sent it to Sidney Bernstein, the head of the British Information Service, who sent it on to Walt Disney. Disney decided to make it into a movie, at one point bringing Dahl to Hollywood to work on the screenplay. The story was published in Cosmopolitan in December of 1942, and as a book by Random House six months later. The film project, however, was sidelined and has never been produced. The story was received positively: Eleanor Roosevelt read it to her grandchildren, and invited Dahl to the White House. There are three existing editions: American, British and Australian; this, the American edition, is the first. According to Connolly, "This book is virtually unknown" (Modern First Editions, 90); Dahl chose never to republish The Gremlins. Text with two small ink corrections, probably in Dahl's hand.Book nearly fine, with one small rub to front cover. Scarce dust jacket with two small chips and minor rubbing to extremities. A beautiful, near-fine copy.
Seller: Bauman Rare Books, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.