"Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book"
— Stephan Mallarme
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 - 17 (of 17)
Roald Dahl's Mischievous Chocolate Factory Children and Roald Dahl's Miraculous Ever-Growing Tortoise.
London: Puffin, 2018. [Children's Literature] UNOPENED, HAPPY READERS EDITION. Two volumes. Duodecimo (14 x 11). Illustrated soft card covers in unopened original bags. Unopened. As new. These books are from the Happy Readers series that were distributed by McDonald's in their happy meals. These books feature the beloved characters that..... 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. No inscriptions, contents..... More
Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator.
London: George Allen and Unwin, 1973. [Childrens classic] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.150; [2], endmatter. Publisher's laminated pictorial card covers. Detailed illustrations throughout by Faith Jaques, including covers. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Minor wear, some rubbing to spine tips, laminate is decent with one small bubble to..... More
The Minpins.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1991. [Children's story] FIRST EDITION. Large format hardcover (28 x 22cm), pp.48, colour illustrations throughout. Publisher's illustrated covers, red endpapers, pictorial dust-jacket. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Binding moderately handled; a very good copy with a little sunning/toning to spine. "Beware, Beware, the Forest of Sin! None come..... More
The Minpins.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1991. [Children's story] FIRST EDITION. Large format hardcover (28 x 22cm), pp.48, colour illustrations throughout. Publisher's illustrated covers, red endpapers, pictorial dust-jacket. A clean, fine copy, inside and out. "Beware, Beware, the Forest of Sin! None come out, but many go in!" This was the author's final..... More
The Magic Finger.
London: Viking, 1995. [Children's Adventure] FIRST BLAKE EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.64. With frequent in-text illustrations by Blake; large print. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the green illustrated dust-jacket, not priced. Moderate toning to paper, as usual, jacket with a few small nicks, spine gently..... More
Matilda.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1988. [Children's Literature] FIRST EDITION, First Impression. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240. With in-text illustrations by Blake throughout. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the colour-illustrated jacket, also by Blake, priced at £8.50. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Jacket has a few very faint marks/spots..... More
Two Fables.
Harmondsworth: Viking, 1986. [Short Stories] SIGNED LIMITED EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.64. Number 45 of 300 copies thus, SIGNED by the author in black ink to limitation page. With frequent in-text black and white illustrations, and a colour frontispiece, by Dean. Publisher's red quarter calf, with gilt titles to..... More
James and The Giant Peach. A Children's Story. Illustrated by Michael Simeon.
London: George Allen and Unwin Limited, 1967. [Children's classic] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (25 x 18cm), pp.112. Publisher's glazed pictorial boards, illustrated throughout the text with black and white line drawings. Contents clean without spotting, no inscriptions. Notoriously fragile covers are in very good condition, showing minor wear to spine..... More
The Gremlins. From the Walt Disney Production. A Royal Air Force Story by Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl.
London: Collins, [1944]. [Childrens classic] FIRST BRITISH EDITION. Quarto (28 x 23cm), pp.[52], with 13 colour plates (one double-page), and many in-text illustrations throughout. In the publisher's red pictorial paper-covered boards, cream cloth spine, pictorial end-papers. Gift inscription (31/10/44) to half title, contents clean, staples rusted and showing, light wear..... 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
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. A clean, fine copy in like, price-clipped wrapper. Slightly risque, adult romp from the regular 'Playboy' contributor. Roald Dahl received the World Fantasy Award [Lifetime..... More
Roald Dahl. A Biography.
London: Faber & Faber, 1994. [Literary biography] FIRST EDITION, with strike-line ending '1'. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.xiv; 307; [1], blank. Illustrated with two suites of eight photographic plates. Publisher's black cloth, photographic jacket priced £17.50. Minor toning to text block else fine. Biography of the award-winning children's author and..... More
Contributes 'My Monte Carlo System' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book.
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. [Literary Anthology] FIRST EDITION. Large Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.488. Publisher's blue cloth with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s. Contents clean, edges toned, no inscriptions, jacket chipped to crown and rear but without the heavy sunning to the red spine often encountered. Very good. Uncommon..... More
Contributes 'My Monte Carlo System' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book.
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. [Literary Anthology] FIRST EDITION. Large Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.488. Publisher's blue cloth with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s. Contents clean, edges slightly toned, no inscriptions. The jacket is simply exceptional having been protected by a custom-made red cloth outer cover, with gilt titles to..... More
![Item #66876 [You Only Live Twice, United Artists, 1967] Related documents. Ian Fleming /...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/66876.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1704562105)
[You Only Live Twice, United Artists, 1967] Related documents.
UK, 30th March 1967. [James Bond film history] Typed arbitration decision by screenwriter Jack Pulman, regarding a dispute over the credits of the film You Only Live Twice between script writers Roald Dahl and Harold Jack Bloom. A detailed six-page arbitration including two pages of synopsis of Bloom's treatment compared..... More
![Item #57743 You Only Live Twice [LOBBY CARDS]. Roald DAHL, writer, Harry SALTZMAN, Albert R....](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/57743.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1599755634)
You Only Live Twice [LOBBY CARDS].
Frankfurt: United International Pictures, 1967. [Movie Memorabilia] ORIGINAL LOBBY CARDS. A set of eight German lobby cards from the film You Only Live Twice [Man Lebt Nur Zweimal], directed by Lewis Gilbert, and starring Sean Connery, Donald Pleasence, Karin Dor, Akiko Wakabayashi, and Tetsur Tamba. Colour half-tone images on thin..... More
Results 1 - 17 (of 17)