Dick Whittington And His Cat
Published by Offset Printing Coy. Pty. Limited: Sydney c1945 (undated)
A scarce and highly collectible children's book in original wrap covers.
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Dick Whittington and His Cat is an attractive Australian-produced children's retelling of the famous English folk tale, published in Sydney by Offset Printing Coy. Pty. Limited, 169 Phillip Street, Waterloo. Undated, but apparently dating from around the mid-1940s, the book belongs to a distinctive period of locally printed juvenile literature when Australian publishers produced colourful and inexpensive storybooks for the domestic market. Issued as Series E113, it survives here in its original pictorial wrap covers, the front featuring a particularly bright period illustration of Dick setting out for London accompanied by his faithful cat.
The familiar story follows the orphaned Dick Whittington from his impoverished beginnings to employment in the household of the wealthy Alderman Fitzwarren. Enduring the cruelty of the household cook, Dick finds companionship in his cat, whose remarkable ability to catch rats eventually becomes instrumental in transforming his fortunes. The tale concludes with Dick's rise to prosperity, his marriage to Alice Fitzwarren and his celebrated advancement to the office of Lord Mayor of London, fulfilling the famous promise of the bells calling him back to the city.
Illustrated throughout with lively period drawings printed in limited colours, the book has considerable visual charm and is a characteristic example of Australian children's publishing of its era. Particularly appealing is the colourful pictorial front wrapper, while the rear carries the publisher's "House of Offset - Quality Productions" device. The ephemeral stapled-wrapper format means that surviving examples are particularly susceptible to wear and loss, making complete copies increasingly difficult to encounter. A scarce and highly collectible piece of vintage Australian juvenile publishing, with additional appeal to collectors of illustrated children's books, traditional tales and Australian publishing ephemera."
Light wear, minor chips and bumps etc to the covers as shown. No inscriptions. Pages are clean with pleasant aged toning. Binding is solid with no loose pages. A nice copy in good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
