Books

First edition, first print, published by Secker & Warburg in 1945. An all time classic and one of Orwell's most respected works. One of only 4000 copies in the first print run. Green cloth covers with a few small marks and wear to the edges, with a spine lean. The first blank page appears to have been pasted to the front board, perhaps to hide library marks? The first page is the half title. Pages made from war time economy paper, one or two pages with a very minor mark or crease but generally bright and clean. No inscriptions, light spotting to the last page. Dustjacket with blue searchlight books imagery printed to the inside, with a library lenders sheet pasted to the inside (no other library marks), the top and bottom edges have historical brown or kraft strengthening tape which overlaps slightly to the front, and has helped to preserve this scarce jacket. Corners clipped, with original price still in tact, there is wear to the jacket spine, with chipping to the top edge and an area of loss to the centre. The fore edges are rubbed, the brown tape showing through in places from the rubbing. The jacket is now in a clear protective removable wrapper. Overall a good condition book in fair jacket. Also included are two letters, one is from Dan Franklin, It reads: "Dear Mr Ainsley Thank you for your letter about Animal Farm. Your faith that we can answer your query is, I'm afraid, misplaced. We simply don't have such information at hand. I am sending a copy of your letter to Peter Davison, who knows every detail about Orwell, and hope he will be able to help. Yours sincerely Dan Franklin." Dated 24 May 1991. Franklin was Publishing Director of Secker & Warburg at the time, and is now an honorary member of the Royal Society of Literature. The second letter is the response from Davison, an Orwell expert who wrote Orwell A Literary Life (1996) and edited Nineteen Eighty Four - The Facsimile (1984), plus The Complete Works of Orwell set (1998), and George Orwell - A Life in Letters (2011). He is an honorary founding member of The Orwell Society. His response clarifies details about the publication date of the book, which was pushed back as a result of paper shortages due to the war. It reads: "Dear Mr Ainsly, Martin Secker & Warburg have passed your letter about the publication details of ANIMAL FARM to me. (I am editing George Orwell's works.) In 1945 the Second World War was still in progress when that book was due for publication and paper was in very short supply. Publication was due in February 1945 (as the page proofs show). The publication date was changed in proof to May 1945 but paper did not become available as had been expected. Publication was, as Ian Willison's FLA thesis shows, 17 August 1945 - Professor Crick's source. Your Sincerely, Peter Davison." The letter is dated 28 May 1991. The original question presumably arose because the first print of Animal Farm states "First published in May 1945", however, later impressions state "First published in August 1945". Also included are a large number of newspaper clippings relating to Orwell and Animal Farm.

Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. The book tells the story of a group of farm animals who revolt against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where animals can be equal, free, and just. However, the revolution is hijacked by the pigs, who become just as oppressive as the humans. Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Soviet Union.