From Donaldson’s Dairy to the history books

Popular both in New Zealand and around the world, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy was the first in a series of books written and illustrated by acclaimed author Dame Lynley Dodd. Forty years on from its original publication, Dame Lynley’s work has been celebrated with its very own stamp issue.

Released on 1 March, the stamps showcase the book’s original canine characters including the much-loved scruffy pooch Hairy Maclary himself. They also pay tribute to Dame Lynley, who’s now a highly respected author and illustrator of 34 children’s picture books. More than two million copies of her work have been sold world-wide, and she says it’s an “enormous honour” to have her work chosen to be put on stamps and coins.

“It’s very special and slightly overwhelming,” she says.

Tauranga based, the 81-year-old can’t wait to see the stamps in circulation.

“They all look great and the colours are really nice. It’ll be a terrific thrill to see them in real life.”

Hairy Maclary literally fell out of Dame Lynley’s scrapbook. She recalls how, when looking for a new idea, a tiny sketch of a dog, drawn years earlier on a slip of notepaper, dropped out from between the pages.

The original sketch would evolve over time into the dog we have come to know, but the essential elements were all there. With just a few strokes of her pen Dame Lynley’s extraordinary ability to convey character, expression and movement brought Hairy Maclary to life.

1 Hairy Maclary:

This is the first appearance in the book of its hero, and everything about him is already evident - animated, scruffy, expressive and determined. With a minimum of black ink and white space, Dame Lynley can convey a host of emotions and reactions. No one who has observed dogs and their ways can fail to see the essential accuracy of the depiction.

2 Hercules Morse:

Each dog sounds like it looks and looks like it sounds. Hercules Morse, the Great Dane, is the second dog we meet. He already looks anxious as he leaps the chain at number 54. Later, when the dogs are confronted by the cat Scarface Claw, Hercules Morse will appear one of the more terrified.

3 Bottomley Potts:

Originally conceived as a Beagle (until Dame Lynley realised that a spotted dog would, of course, have to be a Dalmatian), Bottomley Potts, like all the dogs we meet in the book, is framed by a front gate and yard that seem to echo his own looks and personality.

4 Muffin McLay:

The other dog with a Scottish surname (despite being an Old English Sheepdog), Muffin McLay is possibly another reason for Scottish readers having taken Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy to heart. Dame Lynley has said that young Scots fans have simply refused to believe Hairy Maclary isn’t one of their own.

5 Bitzer Maloney:

In her original hand-written plan for the book, made before she wrote the words or illustrated them, Dame Lynley describes one dog as a “mongrel … a thin bitser” and then asks, “name Bitzer?” With a curlicued tail and prancing step, Bitzer Maloney seems cheerfully highly strung.

6 Schnitzel von Krumm:

To match his aristocratic name, the little dachshund emerges from the grandest gates in the book. Clearly, we have come some way up the street from the dairy and the other dogs’ humbler homes. Low slung and keen to keep up, Schnitzel von Krumm is the final friend we meet before all

1 Hairy Maclary $1.70 stamp. 2 Hercules Morse

$1.70 stamp. 3 Bottomley Potts $3.00 stamp.

4 Muffin McLay $3.80 stamp. 5 Bitzer Maloney six dogs embark on their adventure through town.

$4.30 stamp. 6 Schnitzel von Krumm $4.50 stamp.

Personally approved by Dame Lynley herself, the stamp release includes a miniature sheet first day cover, greeting card set, enamel pin, and individual stamps ranging in price from $1.70 to $4.50.

NZ Post will also release two coins in the coming months: a brilliant uncirculated coin and a 1oz silver proof coin.