Rare First Edition of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Discovered in London Charity Shop
The valuable copy of Harper Lee's classic novel was found among donations at an Oxfam shop and has now joined the British Library's national collection.
A rare first US edition of Harper Lee's seminal novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," has been discovered among items donated to an Oxfam charity shop in west London.
The book was found in a box of American literature donated to the Oxfam shop on Portobello Road. Shop manager Olivia Haysman-Walker identified the copy as a first US edition and recognized its potential value. "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," she stated.
Haysman-Walker noted that the dust jacket showed its age, but the pages inside were in excellent condition. "We realised quite quickly that we had something really special," she added.
The valuable first edition has since been acquired by the British Library and will be added to its national collection. "It's amazing to think that this book has passed through our Oxfam bookshop and into the national collection at the British Library," Haysman-Walker commented. "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."
Oxfam's Second Hand September is an annual campaign that encourages the public to purchase pre-owned goods.