Eagle-eyed volunteer Maria Fenner was going through books donated at an Oxfam shop in Bristol when she found a Virginia Woolf first edition signed by the author09:16, 08 Jul 2026An eagle-eyed volunteer at an Oxfam shop spotted a donated book which sold for more than £25,000.‌Maria Fenner noticed a Virginia Woolf signature inside the book, a first edition of The Waves, which had a faded spine and no dust jacket. Following checks by teams at Oxfam and Bonhams auctioneers, it was authenticated as a signed first edition.‌The book was donated to Oxfam’s Cotham Hill shop in Bristol and inscribed with “Virginia Woolf Oct. 1931” – the month the novel was published – on the front free endpaper. There was also an original price tag of just 20p inside the cover.‌And after being put up for auction last week by Oxfam, the book which was published by Hogarth Press in 1931 has fetched £25,600.As the copy of The Waves was in a big box of other books and wasn't processed on the day it was donated, Oxfam bosses have no way of knowing who gave it and if they knew the true value.‌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,” she said. “With such a strong collector base for works associated with the Bloomsbury group, it is no wonder that this signed first edition attracted such interest.“Moreover, it being signed by Woolf with the date of publication made this copy extra special. We are delighted that it far exceeded its estimate, and that it achieved such a great price for Oxfam.”‌Ms Fenner, who has volunteered at the shop for four years, discovered the book while checking on donations in April this year, reports Bristol Live.She, along with fellow volunteer and keen historian Angela Iliff, compared it with authenticated examples to scrutinise publication dates. They quickly realised it could be a signed first edition and alerted the rest of the shop team.‌Sula Dunne-Prevatt, manager of Oxfam’s Cotham Hill bookshop, said: “When I arrived at the shop, the book was sitting on the corner of a desk with a note saying: ‘Might be fake.’“The credit really belongs to Maria and Angela. Maria spotted the signature, and they took the time to research it carefully and realised it could be something significant."Their attention to detail meant we were able to get the book authenticated and ultimately raise £25,000 for Oxfam. It’s a great example of the knowledge and dedication our volunteers bring to the shop every day."‌The Waves features the voices of six characters – three boys and three girls – beginning with their childhood by the sea and following their lives as they grow up.It was Woolf’s seventh novel, following the publication of masterpieces including 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 books expert, said: “What makes this discovery so special isn’t just the book – it’s the volunteers who recognised what it could be.Article continues below“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. That money will provide clean water and food in crisis zones, help support people rebuilding their lives after conflict and enable us to respond to disasters, including the ongoing emergency in Venezuela."We’re hugely grateful to everyone who donates to Oxfam, and to the volunteers and shop teams whose expertise helps uncover remarkable finds that make a real difference."