Books

Heinemann.  London: Heinemann, 1967 *Signed by Dodie Smith an inscribed to the actress Valerie White* 8vo., bright blue publisher's boards gilt to backstrip; in the original clipped dustwrapper with 39 illustrations, decorative endpapers showing 'The Great Swoosh', and a jacket design by Janet and Anne Grahame-Johnstone; pp. [viii], 144, [viii]; compression/bumps to spine ends and corners, with a little associated darkening; outer edges a trifle spotted, otherwise a clean, near-fine example, in the very good dustwrapper, slightly discoloured along the backstrip, with rubbing and darkening to edges; some small nicks and closed tears, no more than 2cm in length and discreetly repaired to verso with tape.   First edition, this copy inscribed by the author to the actress Valerie White in the year of publication: "To Valerine White, from Dodie Smith. 'Dear Octopus' Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 1967." Dear Octopus was a comic play written by Smith which…