The Hundred and One Dalmatians

A lovely bundle of two first editions including both the original and world-famous The Hundred and One Dalmatians, as well as the author's sequel, The Starlight Barking, which tells the story of Pongo and his family as they encounter an enchanted sleep that affects every living creature except dogs. The books are accompanied by one loosely inserted card signed and dated 1979 by the author, and headed with The Barretts cottage in Finchingfield, Essex, home to the author for most of her life.

Comprising:

The Hundred and One Dalmatians, by Dodie Smith. London: Heinemann, 1956. First edition, first printing; in original, unclipped dust wrapper. Publisher's original blue cloth boards, silver lettering to spine, beautifully illustrated endpapers. Copiously illustrated throughout by Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone. A handful of foxing spots to edges, lightest of wear to spine tips, and a penned inscription to the blank FEP reading "In memory of a dear and faithful friend and the days we spent together. With love and gratitude."; else a clean and uninscribed copy with pages tightly bound and bright, and a lovely, square binding. In a very good dust wrapper that is very lightly browned to extremities and spine, has a few small foxing spots and small marks, and is lightly chipped to extremities (with only the tiniest loss to head of spine); now placed in an archival wrapper.

The Starlight Barking, by Dodie Smith. London: Heinemann, 1967. First edition, first printing; in original, unclipped dust wrapper. Publisher's original blue cloth boards, gilt lettering to spine, beautifully illustrated endpapers. Copiously illustrated throughout by Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone. Lightest crushing to spine tips and one corner; else a clean and uninscribed copy with pages tightly bound and bright, and a lovely, square binding. In a very good dust wrapper that is very lightly browned to extremities and spine, lightly worn to extremities with a small, closed tear to head of spine; now placed in an archival wrapper. 

A loosely inserted card signed and dated by the author Dodie Smith 1979 in black pen. Signed on the well-known The Barretts cottage in Finchingfield, Essex letterhead postcard, which was home to the author for most of her life. The card is unevenly tanned and has a light crease to one corner.

A lovely set including the original The Hundred and One Dalmatians, as well as the author's sequel which tells the story of Pongo and his family as they encounter an enchanted sleep that affects every living creature except dogs. Both accompanied by a loosely inserted card signed and dated 1979 by the author, and headed with The Barretts cottage in Finchingfield, Essex, home to the author for most of her life.

The Hundred and One Dalmatians was later adapted into a highly successful animated film by Disney. The story centers on 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 novel, celebrated for its charming characters and thrilling plot, was both a critical and commercial success, and its Disney adaptation further established it as a beloved classic.