Rare first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird found at Oxfam

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A rare first US edition of To Kill a Mockingbird has been discovered amongst a donation to Oxfam, which was later acquired by the British Library.

The copy of the Harper Lee classic was found in a box of antiquarian American books donated to Oxfam’s bookshop on Portobello Road.

When looking through the box, the shop’s Deputy Manager, Gurpreet Karlcut, recognised that the well-known novel could be important. Shop manager, Olivia Haysman-Walker, went on to research the edition, including its print dates, jacket design and binding, and established that it was a first US edition.

Oxfam Bookshop Portobello

To Kill a Mockingbird first edition found in Oxfam Bookshop Portobello

After listing the book for sale, the Eccles Institute for the Americas and Oceania at the British Library acquired the item following an assessment of its condition. The purchase will support Oxfam’s work around the world helping people facing poverty, conflict and humanitarian crises, including those affected by the recent floods in Nepal.

Oxfam Bookshop Portobello

To Kill A Mockingbird copy found in Oxfam

Travelling from a box of donated books in an Oxfam charity shop to one of the UK’s most renowned cultural institutions, the copy will join the British Library’s national collection.

Olivia, from Oxfam’s Portobello Road Bookshop, commented: “It could so easily have been missed. There were lots of books to work through in the donation, but we recognised To Kill a Mockingbird and thought it was worth taking a closer look

“We realised quite quickly that we had something really special. The dust jacket showed its age, and although it was worn around the edges, the pages inside were in beautiful condition.

“

It's amazing to think that this book has passed through our Oxfam bookshop and into the national collection at the British Library – I delivered it to the Library myself! It really has been quite a journey, and it's a lovely reminder, during Second Hand September, of the kind of treasures that can be hiding among the shelves and donations in our shops.”

Olivia Haysman-Walker, Shop Manager at Oxfam Bookshop Portobello

The charity is encouraging people to donate unwanted books and visit their local Oxfam shop this September – giving pre-loved items another life and discovering second-hand treasures, from much-loved books to rare and valuable editions. Shop locations can be found at Oxfam.org.uk/shops.

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