Rare Karl Popper books donated to Oxfam raise £13,000 at auction

A rare collection of books by the renowned philosopher Sir Karl Popper has raised £13,000 for Oxfam after being donated to one of its high street shops. The books, which included several volumes inscribed by Popper himself, were sold at auction through Bonhams following expert research by one of Oxfam’s committed volunteers.

The 12-book collection was donated to Oxfam Headington’s shop in Oxford and included influential works such as The Logic of Scientific Discovery and The Open Society and Its Enemies. The personal inscriptions and links to other notable philosophers attracted strong interest from collectors and academics.

Nina Curtis, longstanding Oxfam volunteer who spotted the collection, said:  "The Karl Popper books were donated to Oxfam a while ago, and although we immediately recognised that they had value, it was difficult to assess their worth because of the nature of the inscriptions and the two philosophers associated with them. We were therefore encouraged by Bonham's enthusiasm when we approached them, and absolutely delighted with the result of the sale, which certainly exceeded our expectations."

From specialist titles to unexpected finds, Oxfam’s shops across the UK receive thousands of book donations every year. Carefully sorting, researching and pricing these items is made possible by volunteers who play a vital role in uncovering hidden gems that make a real difference in raising funds to help tackle poverty, inequality.

Ian Falkingham, Oxfam’s Donated Goods Strategy Lead, said: “We’re delighted with the success of the sale and incredibly thankful to everyone who supports Oxfam by donating books. This generous contribution turned out to be something quite special, and it’s a real privilege to see it achieve such a fantastic result.

“The funds raised will support Oxfam’s work with communities facing poverty and injustice around the world, at a time when itis urgently needed.

“We’re especially grateful to our wonderful volunteers as well as Bonhams for their expertise and enthusiasm throughout the process. Their involvement was key to making this sale such a success.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• To find out more about volunteering with Oxfam, visit https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer-with-us/
• You can find your local Oxfam bookshop here.