The much-loved classic by J.R.R. Tolkien was tucked among a pile of old children’s books donated to the shop. While most were well-worn school titles, one stood out: an unusually scarce Longmans edition of The Hobbit, published as part of a “Pleasure in Reading” series aimed at primary school libraries.
Only around 1,500 copies were ever printed across two impressions, and experts believe fewer than 50 survive today.
The Stirling team listed the book for sale on Oxfam’s Online Shop, where it found a buyer over the festive period.
Shop Manager Neil Paterson said: “When we realised what we had, there was a real buzz in the shop. It’s a beautiful old copy with its own bit of mystery and magic about it; the sort of find every bookseller dreams of. A regular customer told me it was the version they had at school, so it clearly sparks fond memories as well as serious collector interest. We couldn’t be more thrilled that one generous donation has turned into thousands of pounds to help Oxfam’s work tackling poverty and injustice around the world.”
The rare book, the first of two Longmans impressions published in 1968 and 1970, features Tolkien’s iconic maps of Middle-earth on its endpapers and was described as “extremely scarce” by collectors’ site tolkienguide.com.
Neil is encouraging people to donate and explore the shop, adding: “Every book has a story waiting to be discovered, and sometimes hidden gems like this Hobbit can completely take your breath away. Donating to Oxfam gives these books a second life, and browsing our shelves is a bit like stepping into a treasure hunt: you never know what extraordinary find might be waiting for you.”
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For more information and interviews, please contact: Rebecca Lozza, Media and Communications Adviser, Oxfam Scotland: rlozza1@oxfam.org.uk / 07917738450
