"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka
Roald Dahl | First Editions
1916 - 1990
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and fighter pilot. He is one of the most beloved children's writers of all time, and his books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide.
Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, Dahl served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence officer, rising to the rank of acting wing commander. Dahl began writing fiction for both children and adults, and rose to prominence in the 1940s. Today, Dahl is one of the world's best-selling authors, and has been referred to as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century". His awards for contribution to literature include the 1983 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, and the British Book Awards' Children's Author of the Year in 1990. In 2008, The Times placed Dahl 16th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Dahl's short stories are known for their unexpected endings and his children's books for their unsentimental, macabre, often darkly comic content, featuring villainous adult enemies of the child characters. His books champion the kind-hearted, and feature an underlying warm, moral current. Roald Dahl died on 23 November 1990, at the age of 74. According to his granddaughter, the family gave him a "sort of Viking funeral". He was buried with his snooker cues, some very good burgundy, chocolates, HB pencils and a power saw. Today, children continue to leave toys and flowers by his grave.
See below our stock of Roald Dahl First Editions, fine bindings, sets, and signed copies.
Results 1 - 19 (of 19)
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. The further adventures of Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka chocolate-maker extraordinary.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972. [Children's classic] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.[12]; 164. Publisher's blue quarter cloth over grey paper covered boards, titles in pink to spine, blocked in blue to upper, grey endpapers, dust-jacket illustrated by Schindelman with printed price of $3.95. Illustrated throughout. Occasional..... More
The BFG.
London: Puffin, 2016. [Children's Classic] FIRST THUS, Blake's original illustrations. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.x, 197 [1]. With line drawings by Blake throughout, and a new foreword. One of 5000 copies thus. Publisher's blue and white illustrated paper-covered boards, and similarly decorated endpapers. With the blue illustrated dust-jacket, priced at..... More
The BFG. Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1982. [Children's classic] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 13cm), pp.224. With frequent in-text illustrations by Quentin Blake. Publisher's grey cloth with gilt titles to spine. Pictorial dust-jacket, illustrated by Blake in colour, priced at £6.50. Some expected tanning to edges of text block, book and jacket lightly..... More
The Commemorative Limited Edition of the Works of Roald Dahl. Set of novels and short stories including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Magic Finger, Danny the Champion of the World, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Twits, George's Marvelous Medicine, The BFG, The Witches, Boy, Going Solo, Matilda, Esio Trot, James & The Giant Peach.
London: Jonathan Cape and Harper Collins, 1991. LIMITED EDITION, of only 500 sets of which this is No190. The only major collection of Dahl's works. 15 volumes illustrated by Quentin Blake and others. Octavo (25 x 17 x 35cm). Publisher's gilt-titled quarter blue morocco, over patterned paper boards, top edge..... More
Esio Trot.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1990. [Children's classic] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.64. Publisher's blue cloth, gilt titles to spine, in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Quentin Blake with printed price of £6.95. Illustrated throughout in black and white by Blake. Very slight spotting to edges, spine of wrapper marginally sunned..... More
Matilda.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1988. [Children's classic] First Edition. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240. Publisher's red cloth, gilt titles to spine. Pictorial wraparound dust-wrapper illustrated by Blake, showing printed price of £8.50 net. Numerous in-text illustrations by Blake. Lightly used and a trifle bumped; near fine. Lovingly and hilariously illustrated by..... More
Revolting Rhymes. Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1982. [Children's classic] SIGNED BY AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR. Slim octavo (27 x 21cm), unpaginated. With full colour illustrations by Quentin Blake. Publisher's glossy pictorial boards, without wrapper as issued, with publisher's price label (£3.95) to rear cover. An early printing, INSCRIBED by the author in thick blue..... More
Roald Dahl's Guide to Railway Safety.
London: British Railways Board, 1991. [Ephemera]. ORIGINAL PAMPHLET. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.24. With colour illustrations by Blake to every page. Publisher's colour-illustrated card wrapper, stapled. Child's ownership mark to verso of front cover. A little thumbed, otherwise good. 'British Railways Board asked Roald Dahl to write the text of..... More
The Witches.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1983. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.208. With illustrations by Blake. Publisher's green cloth boards in original pictorial dust-jacket. Slight toning/spotting to edges, some shelfwear, jacket price-clipped, no inscriptions or bookplates. A very good, lightly used copy. Basis for the 1990 Jim Henson-produced movie starring Anjelica Huston and Rowan..... More
James And The Giant Peach. A Children's Story.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, [circa 1972]. [Children's Classic] VINTAGE COPY, a later issue showing ISBN, and mentioning 'Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.' Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.[8] 119 [1]. Illustrated with plain and coloured lithographs by Burkert. Publisher's orange cloth with gilt titles to spine and blind..... More
Two Fables.
London: Viking, 1986. FIRST EDITION, slim octavo (23 x 14cm), pp.64. Publisher's black cloth, titles in gilt to spine, in striking red and black dust jacket designed by Bet Ayer. Somewhat bleak illustrations by Graham Dean, including one disturbing colour print as a frontispiece. Minor edgewear; near fine. Two adult..... More
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1967. [Children's classic] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (25 x 18cm), pp.[4]; 128. Publisher's illustrated boards, illustrated throughout the text with black and white line drawings. Textblock somewhat toned with some spotting to edges. Binding a little worn to tip and tail of spine, with..... More
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1964. [Children's classic] FIRST EDITION, First issue, with the six-line colophon; later issues/printings have this text reset in five lines. TRUE FIRST, preceding the English edition by three years. Dramatically illustrated throughout with rather peculiar artwork by Joseph Schindelman. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp..... More
Boy.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1984. FIRST EDITION, a nice association copy, WARMLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR shortly after publication. Octavo, pp.160. Publisher's cloth in original dustwrapper, pictorial endpapers, numerous black and white photographs and sketches throughout. The first volume of Dahl's fascinating autobiography. Edges a little dusty, one neat production crease..... More
Going Solo.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1986. [Autobiography] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.208. Blue cloth with gilt titles to spine, photographic endpapers, illustrated jacket showing original price £7.95 (many copies seem to be clipped). Gently pushed to crown else a clean, fine copy. The author's second collection of autobiographical stories following..... More
My Uncle Oswald.
London: Michael Joseph Ltd, 1979. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.221. Publisher's dark blue cloth in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Dave Senior, priced at £5.50. Neat ink ownership else a lovely fine copy. Slightly risque, adult romp from the regular 'Playboy' contributor. Roald Dahl received the World..... More
Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1983. [Ghostly tales] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.235; [5]. Publisher's black cloth, gilt titles to spine, dust-jacket designed by Craig Dodd. Light spotting and toning to edges, cloth lightly handled. Wrapper lightly creased to edges, faint mark to upper panel. Near fine. A collection of..... More
Dirty Beasts.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1983. [Childrens Illustrated] FIRST EDITION. Slim Quarto (28 x 22cm), pp.[32]. Illustrated with hilarious and gruesome plates by Fawcett. Bound in publisher's pictorial paper boards, showing titles and a terrified child tucked up in bed to the front cover, titles to spine, yellow endpapers. Contents fine, binding..... More
The Enormous Crocodile With Pictures by Quentin Blake
London: Jonathan Cape 1978. INSCRIBED, Second Impression. Publisher's glossy pictorial boards; INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR facing title page: "To / TIMOTHY / WITH LOVE / Roald Dahl / 1981" [underlined]. Some edgewear, extremities a little pushed, very good. Roald Dahl received the World Fantasy Award [Lifetime Achievement] in 1983. Book..... More
Results 1 - 19 (of 19)