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Look what we found in the bric-a-brac

Marie Burchill
22/ 5/2008

CHARITY shops across south Manchester are showing off their wares after receiving some of their most valuable donations ever.

Staff at Oxfam charity shops in Chorlton and Whitworth Park say they are astounded by a number of recent items handed in to their shops – which have transformed their shelves into treasure troves for keen collectors.

Oxfam in Chorlton is currently playing home to three highly collectable ceramic Royal Doulton snowmen – the rarest of which has attracted a whopping price tag of £145.

The charity shop’s Whitworth Park branch is also rolling with the high notes after amassing an impressive collection of first edition books.

Among the most coveted are two volumes of the Bible, which date back to the 1860s. The two volumes together have a been priced at £75.

The shop also has a selection of first edition books on literary and poetry criticism – with prices reaching as high as £85.99 per book – as well as first edition versions of books written by J.R.R Tolkien and Seamus Heaney.

Emma Cooney, from Oxfam in Whitworth Park, said: "We can’t believe the collection that we have here in the shop.

"The two volumes of the Bible are just amazing to look at, the pictures and etchings inside are so detailed and they are just beautiful books.

"They actually arrived with us through our recycling book bank scheme, it’s unbelievable to think that somebody actually wanted to get rid of them.

"But we are always very thankful for such generous donations.

"Not everybody would think about coming into an Oxfam bookshop, so we want collectors to know all about the books that we have so that they can come in and see the wonderful collection."

Meanwhile at Oxfam in Chorlton, manager Marek Derych is keeping a close eye on the shop’s most valuable assets – their three Royal Doulton snowmen.

Marek said: "The snowmen are very valuable and we are delighted to have them on our shelves. We couldn’t believe it when we found out how much they are actually worth. We’re sure that once people know they are here, they will go to a very good home."

Oxfam volunteer Emma – who works at the charity’s Whitworth Park shop – was helping out at Oxfam Chorlton when the snowmen arrived.

She said: "The snowmen arrived in the shop just loose in a box. A man handed them in, but we were quite busy at the time and when I looked around to thank him, he had already gone.

"The snowmen had just been put into the box with loads of other stuff, as if somebody had just had a clear-out."

Oxfam is currently collecting for the Burma Cyclone Appeal, donations will be accepted until Monday, May 26.