Search Results: the gremlins a royal air by roald dahl

Milwaukie, Oregon: Dark Horse Books,, 2006. First Dark Horse edition, first printing; a facsimile reviving the author's first book, which had previously only been published in the American (1943) and British (1944) editions. The work was originally intended as a promotional device for a feature-length Disney animation which was abandoned before completion. In his preface, Disney historian Leonard Maltin outlines the project's fascinating history. The production had cost Walt Disney $50,000 at the time of cancellation. Part of the difficulties laid in establishing copyright, as Dahl was at that time serving in the RAF where "gremlins" were traditionally blamed for mechanical failures. "It didn't take long for the name to become part of common language... If a book or pamphlet had typographical errors in it, one could always blame it on Gremlins who gummed up the works. [But] this in no way discredits Dahl's charming story or his invention of the details surrounding their origins" (p. vi). In a deal… Read More

Spine and corners of boards slightly rubbed; a little scuffing to the lower corners of the front endpapers and two neat repairs to clean tears to one leaf and the rear free endpaper; a few short marginal tears; replacement to corner cut from front free endpaper with a small loss; still a remarkably clean, tight (no splits at staples) and attractive copy of the First Australian Edition printed in Sydney by Shepherd and Newman.

New York: Random House, 1943. First Edition, 1st Printing. Hardcover. . Moderate wear to extremities and boards else very good condition. Binding sound. Unusually solid copy of this fragile book./No dust jacket. . Illustrations (Color) Roald Dahl's first book.

New York: Random House,, 1943. 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… Read More

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 to covers, backstrip a little soiled, rear cover gently sunned. Very good. The author's first book, produced as a tie-in for an unrealised Disney animated film.

New York: Random House, 1943. 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… Read More

London: Collins,, [1944]. First British edition, first impression, of the author's first book. The book was first published in the US in 1943. Writing in 2006, the Disney historian Leonard Maltin described the volume as "a milestone" and a "charming book". 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, although 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 on the book 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 the American publication cancelling any further preproduction work.… Read More

London: Collins,, [1944]. First British edition, first impression, of the author's first book. The book was first published in the US in 1943. Writing in 2006, the Disney historian Leonard Maltin described the volume as "a milestone" and a "charming book". 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, although 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 American publication cancelling any further preproduction work. Quarto.… Read More

Random House. Collectible - Very Good. New York: Random House, 1943. 1st U.S. edition. 4to pictorial hardcover. Unpaginated. B/W and color llustrations. Very Good book and Fair dust jacket. Board edges and corners a just bit worn. The date "8-28-43" in ink to the upper right corner of the front pastown, small and neatly printed, and with the bookplate of "J. Rommel" the lower left. Lighltly toned. The dust jacket, in a protective mylar cover, is a bit edgeworn with chipped spine tips and a 2" tear to the center. A very nice copy! (Juvenile, Fantasy, Great Britain, Royal Air Force, Fighter Pilots, World War II) Inquire if you need further information.

NY: Random House, 1943. 1st. Hardcover. Very Good/None. Walt Disney Studio. Hardcover, pictorial boards with a red cloth spine. First edition of Dahl's rare first book, with 14 vibrant full-page illustrations by Walt Disney Productions. The author wrote The Gremlins, a children's story expanding on a mythical creature enshrined for years in RAF lore. Disney expressed an interest in making it into an animated film. The author went to California to work on a screenplay that never made it into production. The book was produced from preliminary work done by the Disney artists. A nice copy with light rubbing to covers, mild foxing, no dust jacket. Record # 383734

Sydney: Ayres [sic] and James: Copyright 1943 by Walt Disney Productions) First Australian Edition. Printed in Australia by Shepherd and Newman, Sydney, 1/1/1943. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Australian edition, Sydney: Ayres [sic] and James: Copyright 1943 by Walt Disney Productions) Printed in Australia by Shepherd and Newman. Autographed by Roald Dahl. Dahl's first book. Illustrated with 13 full page (one double page) color plates and black and white drawings by the Walt Disney Studio throughout the text. 29 cm. Inscribed, "Love from Roald Dahl". Roald Dahl Foundation book plate (established by Dahl's widow after her husband's death in 1990. Housed in gorgeous custom made red leather clam shell case with inlaid Gremlins on front. Some restoration work done to binding. Lacking dust jacket. Roald Dahl served in the Royal Air Force as a fighter pilot and Wing Commander. In 1940 Dahl's plane was hit by a machine gun fire and he was severely injured. He was… Read More

New York: Random House, 1943.

New York: Random House,, 1943. I do not believe in gremlins 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… Read More

New York: Random House, 1943.

New York: Random House, 1943.

New York: Random House. [1943]. First edition, first printing. 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… Read More