A Welsh bookshop volunteer has made a remarkable discovery while sorting through some old donated books - a first edition copy of one of the most famous novels ever written.
The volunteer was routinely flicking through some donations at one of two second-hand book shops at Dyffryn Gardens - run by the National Trust - near Cardiff.
To their amazement and delight, they discovered something very special.
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In the bundle of books was a first edition copy of George Orwell’s seminal classic, Animal Farm.
The novel was first published in the summer of 1945 and tells the tale of a group of animals who rise up in rebellion against a farmer, aiming to create a world where they can be equal to humans.
According to Orwell, whose real name was Eric Blair, the satirical Animal Farm is a commentary on the Russian Revolution of 1917, when Vladimir Lenin and his army seized control of the country from the then-ruling royal family, as well as the events which followed when the Soviet Union was formed and ruled by Joseph Stalin.
It was Orwell’s first big success as a writer and the book has sold millions of copies over the past 77 years.
The first edition copy found in Dyffryn Gardens, 10 miles west of Cardiff, was recently re-homed by local auctioneers Rodger Jones and sold for £2,800 - when it could conceivably have been sold from the second-hand book store for just a few pounds.
The National Trust has confirmed that the money made from the sale will remain at Dyffryn Gardens and help to improve what the attraction has to offer.
“Our second-hand bookshops support vital work at the historic homes, gardens, and countryside and coast sites we care for across Wales,” said Lhosa Daly, assistant director for operations at National Trust Cymru.
“The discovery of a George Orwell first edition is very exciting and the proceeds from its sale will help us achieve so much at Dyffryn Gardens. This World Book Day, we want to say a big thank you to everyone who supports our second-hand book shops, through buying or donating, and to our remarkable book shop volunteers.”
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