An early, Dean’s Rag Book Dismal Desmond, one of the first to be produced in 1926.  Typically, he has all the Dean’s credits – including his name – printed round his neck, albeit quite faint now, but just about readable. He’s also the smallest size Dean’s initially made, sitting 11cm high.

This doleful Dalmation was one of the earliest British toys to become a national, celebrated character, enjoying overwhelming popularity and fame, backed up with a wide range of promotional items.

Characteristically, Desmond is kapok-stuffed, and made of ‘Fluffidown‘, a brushed cotton fabric, which Dean’s had developed over a decade earlier, primarily to retain printed patterns on stuffed animals.   Designed to be soft and ‘downy’, with  a slightly velvety nap, it’s nowadays akin to what we refer to as velveteen. Desmond shows overall fading, but is still a reasonable colour for his age. His forelegs are sewn to his hind legs, giving him a perfect doggy posture.

In lovely overall condition, with those signature droopy eyes and ears, Desmond is undoubtedly one of the most lovable canine’s ever created. In 1929, a Cheerful Desmond was introduced, but it signalled the ultimate end of Desmond, with sales dropping  towards the end of 1928,  and being usurped in 1930 by Mickey Mouse.

Desmond usually wore a neck ribbon, so we’ve given him a replacement, though it still hasn’t cheered him up! He’s photographed reading all about himself in Neil Miller’s excellent book ‘The Dean’s Rag Book Company The First Hundred Years’.