The Hundred and One Dalmatians

The Hundred and One Dalmatians, by Dodie Smith. London: Heinemann, 1956.

Finely bound first edition, first printing, with oversized clamshell box and additional portfolio housing a 1957 Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) 'Dodie' to 'Popie' (theatre historian W. J. MacQueen-Pope), regarding her new contract for The Hundred and One Dalmatians animated film with Walt Disney, a celebratory dinner in London, and the regretted death of her own dalmatians; written on letterhead of The Barretts, Finchingfield, Essex, home of the author.

Copiously illustrated throughout by Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone, with new cover artwork by the binder Rosy Gray.

Bespoke Fine Binding (with new cover artwork) of the Dodie Smith’s beloved tale of loyalty, courage, and canine camaraderie

Recently finely rebound by the wonderfully-talented Rosy Gray of Black Cat Bindery, a traditional craft bookbindery based in the heart of Somerset, UK.

The book is sumptuously bound in full white goatskin, with alternating black and pink paw prints running vertically across the spine, and title and author in facsimile typeface blocked in pink to front cover; both whimsical nods to the dustwrapper of the first edition. The black artwork to front and rear covers, both Rosy's delightful creations, show a group of Dalmatian puppies gathered near-the-feet of Cruella de Vil, who stands ominously smoking from her long cigarette holder, with the smoke from her cigarette forming a rectangular frame around the illustration, subtly evoking a sense of entrapment. The puppies appear huddled and uneasy, trying to escape Cruella's smoky enclosure through a small free area, and make their way towards their rescuers, Pongo and Missis, who are depicted running, alert and determined, on the rear cover. Hand-sewn black-and-white silk end bands. Hand-made marbled endpapers with a beautiful pattern reminiscent of a dalmatian's coat, and original front and rear endpapers illustrated with the "Twilight Barking" retained and bound within.

An oversized, no-expense-spared clamshell box houses this first edition, covered in full white goatskin with white buckram edges, with black onlay patches imitating the markings of a Dalmatian, with title and author in facsimile typeface blocked in silver gilt on the spine. Internally lined with soft black suedel, the clamshell case has a sunken well which nestles the book itself.

On top of the book inside the clamshell case rests a large white buckram portfolio with black silk ties and embossed in pink to front with an illustration of Pongo and Missis and the famous opening lines: "Not long ago, there lived in London a young married couple of Dalmatian dogs named Pongo and Missis Pongo". Internally lined with the same black suedel, the portfolio houses a letter (2pp, 8vo) from Dodie Smith placed in a transparent archival sleeve.

The clamshell comes wrapped in the Black Cat Bindery's signature wrapping paper.

With an Intimate 1957 Autograph Letter Signed 'Dodie' to theatre historian W. J. MacQueen-Pope stating, among other things, her excitement about her new contract for The Hundred and One Dalmatians animated film with Walt Disney.

2pp, 8vo, a long letter, in a close and elegant hand, writing on behalf of herself and her 'friend' and business manager Alec Macbeth Beesley, and on receipt of his latest book. 

Walt Disney had read 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' earlier in the year in which the present letter was written, and had immediately begun negotiations for the rights of what would later become the penultimate animated film released during his lifetime. This was much to Smith's delight, as she had hoped that he would make it into a film. 

In the letter, the author begins: 'Dear Popie, | How very, very kind of you to send us "Give me Yesterday"! Thank you so much. Our house is full of decorators (following our recent acquisition of electric light - and the eviction of many ceiling-blackening lamps) and I've had a terrible cold.' Nevertheless she has enjoyed 'several happy escapes into your book and, though I'm only up to page 60, I feel sure it is one of your very best'. She thinks that the book 'may have an even larger appeal' than MP's theatre books, as 'even more people are interested in yesterday than in the theatre; not, of course, counting the very young, who are mainly interested in the future - none of us, I fear, being quite able to enjoy our present while we've still got it'. 

With regard to a celebratory dinner at the Ivy restaurant in London a few weeks before, she fears he may have thought her 'slightly dazed [.] It was the first time I had been there - or to any London restaurant - for over 3 1/2 years, and the visit was only made possible because all of our dear dogs are now dead. They all lived to be 14 1/2 and the son, Dandy, left us only this autumn. Much as we miss them, we are, for the present, resisting the temptation to get more dogs, and are forcing ourselves to come up to the theatre occasionally. But the lunch party at the Ivy was due to the fact that Walt Disney has bought "The Hundred and One Dalmatians" to make into one of his cartoon films (we are told the job will take his animators five yers) and we were meeting members of the Disney organisation to exchange the contracts. We are very happy about the sale but wish we had our dalmatians alive to rejoice with us.' 

She turns to a play she is 'still struggling with': 'as so often when I am nearing the end of a job, the work's made more difficult because a new idea beckons, saying "I'd be so much easier and funnier. Do write me!"' There are references to 'Helen Hopkinson of the New Yorker' and 'the R.A.D.A. Matinée tomorrow'. After the latter they will 'drop' their London visits for a while, 'with a certain amount of relief, as we don't seem to enjoy the theatre as we did'. She hopes he may have lunch with them in the following year, but does not 'hold out any hope' that she 'could tackle that musical' (elsewhere he had suggested collaboration). She will get in touch once she has 'cleared the decks here' and they have started coming to London again. She ends with thanks for the book and 'every good wish' for its success.

A truly special letter which we felt deserved nothing less than this outstanding binding effort.

Condition Report

Binding square and firm, as expected, with a few sporadic spots of foxing to edges and prelims; else a fine, uninscribed copy. The letter is in very good condition, twice-folded, slightly tanned and with a touch of wear to corners.

A bestselling book which has never gone out of print and has delighted readers of all ages for many decades, The Hundred and One Dalmatians tells the story of Pongo and Missis, two Dalmatians who set out on a daring mission to save their stolen puppies from the villainous Cruella de Vil, whose sinister plan is to turn them into fur coats. With support from various animal allies, they must outwit Cruella and her henchmen to rescue their cherished pups. The 1961 animation, released at a time where feature animation had an uncertain future due to the high production costs, was a box office success, grossing $14 million at the box office and proving that Disney feature animation could continue being a profitable endeavor.