Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest says ‘that’s insane’ after hearing the value of his Roald Dahl signed book (marketrealist.com)
A first edition of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with a personal inscription from the author, recently made a surprising appearance on Antiques Roadshow. Guest Tim brought the well-loved book, a gift from his mother, hoping to learn more about its origins and value. He was unaware of whether it was a true first edition or how his mother acquired it.
Adding to the book’s intrigue was a handwritten inscription on the title page: “To Steven, with lots and lots of love, from Roald Dahl.” Tim shared that he’d tried to uncover Steven’s identity, even searching online for a possible relative of Dahl’s, but to no avail.
The Antiques Roadshow expert confirmed Tim’s book was indeed a first edition, one of approximately 10,000 printed. While the book showed its age, with a worn dust jacket and evidence of childhood readings, these imperfections impacted its value.
The expert appraised the book at $5,000 to $6,000, noting that a pristine copy could fetch between $9,000 and $12,000. A stunned Tim responded, “Wow, that is crazy.
That is insane.”