Roald Dahl's original sketches, created for his memoir, will be sold at auction after being found in an envelope. Dahl, who was born in the Cardiff suburb of Llandaff, produced the sketches in black ballpoint pen for the book Boy, which was published in 1984. He died in 1990 aged 74, and in his almost five-decade long career, these are the only book sketches he ever produced. The sketches will be sold in Edinburgh as part of Lyon & Turnbull's books and manuscripts sale on 18 June. The sketches are part of a collection estimated to sell for between £20,000 and £30,000. In his memoir Dahl recalled various childhood exploits, including playing a prank with his friends on thelocal sweetshop owner Mrs Pratchettby putting a dead mouse in a gobstopper jar. To illustrate to prank, Dahl drew a mouse lying on top of the sweets with its legs in the air. The drawings were found in an envelope marked "Dahl's drawings & odds and sods" which belonged to Ian Craig, the art director at publishing house Jonathan Cape. Mr Craig, who died in 2023, created the final illustrations for the book inspired by Dahl's drawings. He also oversaw the production of the book and the archive includes his designs, as well as the original page layouts and correspondence. Mr Craig came up with the title, and received a letter from Dahl saying: "I must thank you for coming up with the first sensible title for my book. 'Boy' is fine. We all like it…" His widow, Kate Craig, who also worked at Jonathan Cape, said the publication of Boy was "on a very tight publication schedule". Dahl's usual illustrator, Quentin Blake, was "away on holiday," she said, so "Ian asked Dahl if he could help with the illustrations". "Dahl ended up producing a variety of sketches which Ian used as inspiration for his own drawings. "Ian never got paid for the illustrations, but Dahl did give him one of his trademark blue cashmere cardigans as a thank you, which he treasured." Dominic Somerville-Brown, Lyon & Turnbull's rare books and manuscripts specialist, said: "It's absolutely thrilling to see Roald Dahl's one-of-a-kind, hand-drawn sketches up close. "They are a unique addition to his canon and allow us to observe the transformation of his childhood memories into the printed form, a medium in which they would be cherished by generations of readers. "Ian Craig undoubtedly played a key role in Dahl's publishing success, overseeing not only the production of Boy, but many more of his famous children's stories. "This archive gives an insight into the creative processes behind a book still enjoyed by children across the world today."
Roald Dahl's original sketches to be auctioned
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"Original Roald Dahl Sketches from 'Boy' Memoir to be Auctioned"
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Roald Dahl's original sketches, created for his memoir 'Boy', are set to be auctioned after being discovered in an envelope belonging to Ian Craig, the late art director at Jonathan Cape. These sketches, produced in black ballpoint pen, represent the only book illustrations Dahl ever created during his prolific career, which spanned nearly five decades. The auction will take place in Edinburgh on June 18 as part of Lyon & Turnbull's books and manuscripts sale, with the collection estimated to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000. Dahl's memoir, published in 1984, recounts various childhood adventures, including a notorious prank involving a dead mouse placed in a gobstopper jar at a local sweetshop. The sketches include a humorous depiction of the mouse lying atop the sweets, capturing the essence of Dahl's childhood exploits and his whimsical storytelling style.
The envelope containing the sketches was marked "Dahl's drawings & odds and sods" and included not only the original sketches but also designs, page layouts, and correspondence related to the book. Ian Craig, who passed away in 2023, played a pivotal role in the book's production and was responsible for the final illustrations, which were inspired by Dahl's sketches. His widow, Kate Craig, noted that due to a tight publication schedule and the absence of Dahl's regular illustrator, Quentin Blake, Ian stepped in to create the illustrations. Although he was not compensated for his work, Dahl gifted him a blue cashmere cardigan in gratitude. Dominic Somerville-Brown, a specialist at Lyon & Turnbull, expressed excitement about the auction, highlighting that these hand-drawn sketches provide a rare insight into Dahl's creative process and the transformation of his childhood memories into a beloved literary form, which continues to resonate with readers of all ages today.
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