1979 SIGNED First Edition Ballander Boy – Colin Thiele & David Simpson – Signed by Colin Thiele

This particular copy of Ballander Boy is a lovely one to have because it combines three things we look for in a collectable Australian book: a first edition, the original dust jacket, and the author’s signature. Then there's the place and time images throughout that bring it further into life. 

Colin Thiele has personally signed the half-title with the inscription “Greetings from Colin Thiele” — turning an already appealing 1979 first edition into a much more individual piece of Australian literary history. 

This particular book was held in a personal library on Bribie Island and the family's oral history highlights it was gifted new from Colin to the recipient for their contribution towards bringing the literature to this print format. The copy was traded in with love at the Bribie Island Book Exchange in 2018 and stored airtight for conservation between readings. 

Written by celebrated Australian author Colin Thiele, with photography by David Simpson, Ballander Boy tells the story of a young boy growing up in an Aboriginal community in northern Australia. Thiele’s narrative is accompanied throughout by Simpson’s photography, creating a distinctly Australian photographic record of childhood, community and country as presented in the late 1970s.

Published by Rigby in 1979, this is the first edition, confirmed by the copyright page stating “First published 1979.”

Author: Colin Thiele
Photography: David Simpson
Publisher: Rigby Limited
Year: 1979 – First Edition
Format: Hardcover with original dust jacket
Pages: 56
ISBN: 0 7270 1126 X
Signed: Yes – personally inscribed “Greetings from Colin Thiele” and signed by Colin Thiele
Product weight: Approx. 0.50 kg

Condition: Very good vintage condition overall. The hardcover and internal pages present particularly well for their age, with the binding sound and pages clean. The original dust jacket is present and shows some light age-related handling and edge wear. There is a historical Bribie Island Book Exchange stamp to the rear pastedown. The Colin Thiele inscription and signature are clear and well preserved. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the condition description.

A particularly appealing copy for a Colin Thiele collector, collector of Australian children's literature, or Australian social-history collection.