Signed first edition of Virginia Woolf book discovered by chance at a charity shop sells for £25,000

First edition signed by Virginia Woolf wavesFound in an Oxfam charity shop in Bristol, it fetched more than £25,000 at auction.

The rare volume, published by Hogarth Press in 1931, was found to bear a unique inscription. The front free end page was signed “Virginia Woolf October 1931”, which exactly coincided with the novel’s original publication month.

Oxfam volunteer Maria Fenner made an important discovery when she noticed the signature despite the book’s faded spine and lack of a dust jacket. Interestingly, the original price tag of just 20p was also present inside the cover.

Following extensive checks by teams at auctioneers Oxfam and Bonhams, the book was confirmed to be a genuine signed first edition, paving the way for a remarkable sale.

The book, donated to Oxfam’s Cotham Hill store, was sold at auction last week for £25,600 including buyer’s premium.

Lorenza Gay, specialist in fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams, described the book as “extra special”.

“The Waves is considered by many to be Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece,” he said.

“With such a strong collector base for works associated with the Bloomsbury group, it is no surprise that this signed first edition has attracted so much interest.

“Also, having it signed by Woolf along with the date of publication made this copy even more special. We are delighted that it went well beyond its estimate and achieved such a great price for Oxfam.”

Ms Fenner, who has been volunteering at the store for four years, discovered the book while checking donations in April this year.

The book was not donated via gift aid or processed on the day it was donated; This means Oxfam cannot identify who donated the book or when.

Noticing the signature inside, Ms. Fenner recruited volunteer and curious historian Angela Iliff to compare the signature to authenticated examples and examine the publication dates.

They immediately realized it might be a signed first edition and alerted the rest of the store team.

Sula Dunne-Prevatt, manager of Oxfam’s Cotham Hill bookstore, said: “When I arrived at the shop the book was sitting on the corner of the table with a note saying ‘May be fake’.

“The credit really goes to Maria and Angela. Maria noticed the signature and they took the time to research it carefully and realized it could be something important.

“Their attention to detail enabled us to prove the accuracy of the book and ultimately raise £25,000 for Oxfam.

“This is a great example of the knowledge and dedication our volunteers bring to the store every day.”

Waves features the voices of six characters, three boys and three girls, starting with their childhood by the sea and following their lives as they grow up.

This was Woolf’s seventh novel, after the publication of such masterpieces as Mrs. Dalloway and the Common Reader in 1925, To the Lighthouse in 1927, and A Room of One’s Own in 1929.

Ian Falkingham, Oxfam’s book expert, said: “It’s not just the book that makes this discovery so special – it’s the volunteers who realized what it could be.

“Thanks to Maria and Angela’s knowledge and attention to detail, this donation has raised more than £25,000 to support Oxfam’s work around the world.

“This money will provide clean water and food in crisis areas, help people rebuild their lives after conflict, and enable us to respond to disasters, including the ongoing emergency in Venezuela.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated to Oxfam, and to the volunteers and store teams whose expertise helped uncover remarkable findings that make a real difference.”