Overview
This is an original 1930s hardback edition of The Little Colonel by Annie Fellows-Johnston, published by Jarrolds of London as a film tie-in to the celebrated 1935 Fox film starring Shirley Temple. This is the 5th Edition, printed by Taylor Garnett Evans & Co. Ltd of Manchester, and it retains its original pictorial dust jacket — a vivid red wrapper bearing a photographic image of Shirley Temple in character alongside her co-star, precisely as shown in the cover photograph.
For Shirley Temple collectors and 1930s Hollywood memorabilia enthusiasts, the survival of the dust jacket alone makes this a notable find. Film tie-in editions from this era were read hard and frequently discarded, and very few examples with an intact jacket of any quality reach the market today. The jacket here is worn but present and attached, with the flap in place — adding genuine display and collectible value.
Inside, the text block is complete, and the book contains original black and white film still illustrations. This is a readable and displayable copy of a genuinely scarce piece of 1930s cinema history, suited to a Shirley Temple collection, a display of Classic Hollywood memorabilia, or a vintage children's book library.
Key Features
- Original 1930s film tie-in hardback — direct tie to the 1935 Fox Shirley Temple motion picture
- 5th Edition published by Jarrolds Publishers, London
- Original pictorial dust jacket present and attached — rare survival for a book of this age
- Vibrant photographic cover depicting Shirley Temple in character
- Black and white film still illustrations inside throughout
- Complete text block — all pages present and legible
- Approximately 85–90 years old; a genuine vintage original, not a reproduction
- Prime collectible for Shirley Temple enthusiasts and 1930s Hollywood film collectors
Specifications
| Title | The Little Colonel |
| Author | Annie Fellows-Johnston |
| Publisher | Jarrolds Publishers, London |
| Edition | 5th Edition |
| Printer | Taylor Garnett Evans & Co. Ltd, Manchester |
| Format | Hardback |
| Language | English |
| Pages | Approx. 190 |
| Illustrated | Yes — black and white film still photographs |
| Dust Jacket | Yes — original, present and attached |
| Genre | Children's Fiction / Film Tie-In |
| Subject / Character | Shirley Temple; Fox Film Corporation |
| Era / Decade | 1930s |
| Age | Approximately 85–90 years |
| Country of Origin | Great Britain |
| Original or Reproduction | Original |
Condition
Overall Grade: Acceptable (Used) — a readable and displayable copy of a scarce item.
Dust Jacket: Present and attached with flap intact — a significant survival for this era. Shows heavy age-related wear: torn and frayed edges at the top and bottom of the spine panel, surface rubbing, scuffing and creasing throughout, with some colour loss to the red ground. Worn but structurally in place.
Boards: Structurally sound beneath the jacket. Cloth shows wear and fading, most notably to the spine and corners.
Pages: Age-toned and browned throughout, consistent with 1930s paper stock. Some foxing spots present. Text is fully legible. All pages are present and the text block is complete.
Illustrations: Internal black and white film still photographs are present and intact.
Other Notes: A pencilled price marking is visible to the rear pastedown. No other inscriptions noted.
Questions Buyers Often Ask
Q: Is this a genuine 1930s original, or a later reprint?
A: This is a genuine original edition, published in the 1930s by Jarrolds of London and printed by Taylor Garnett Evans & Co. Ltd, Manchester. It is not a facsimile or modern reproduction. The age-toning, paper stock, and printing style are all consistent with the period.
Q: The dust jacket sounds worn — is it worth having at all for a collector?
A: For 1930s film tie-in paperbacks and hardbacks, the mere presence of the original dust jacket is highly desirable. The vast majority of surviving copies from this era have no jacket whatsoever. Even in worn condition, an attached original jacket — with flap present — adds meaningful display and collectible value, and the photographic cover image of Shirley Temple remains clearly visible, as shown in the listing photographs.
Q: Are all the pages and illustrations complete?
A: Yes. The text block is complete with all pages present and fully legible. The black and white film still illustrations inside are all present and intact.
Q: Does the book have any inscriptions or stamps inside?
A: There is a pencilled price marking visible to the rear pastedown. No other inscriptions, stamps, or bookplates have been noted.
Q: Which film does this tie in to, and who starred in it?
A: The book ties directly to the 1935 Fox Film Corporation production of The Little Colonel, starring Shirley Temple alongside Lionel Barrymore. The dust jacket features a photographic image of Shirley Temple in her character costume from the film, making this as much a piece of film memorabilia as a vintage book.
Postage & Seller Information
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