The personal library of beloved British author and cartoonist Raymond Briggs is now on sale at Oxfam's Hove bookshop in East Sussex and online, offering a unique glimpse into the creative mind behind classics like The Snowman and Fungus the Bogeyman. More than 1,000 books donated by his estate after his passing in 2022 showcase Briggs's diverse interests and artistic influences.
The collection is an eclectic mix of subjects, including comics and illustration, novels, and social history. Fans can find works by iconic creators like Charles Schulz, E.H. Shepard, and a signed first edition of Graham Rawle's 2005 book Woman’s World, which features fragments from women's magazines.
Martin Hill, a volunteer at Oxfam Hove bookshop, highlights the collection's breadth: “What's fascinating is the range. You can see connections between Briggs's own work and the artists and subjects he surrounded himself with.” He notes that the books cover serious and humorous topics, from ageing to wartime milkmen.
The collection includes items directly linked to Briggs's celebrated works, such as pamphlets on nuclear disarmament echoing his 1982 graphic novel When the Wind Blows. Other notable inclusions are a 1974 book by Monty Python's Terry Jones and Michael Palin, and first edition copies of Russell Hoban's post-apocalyptic novel Riddley Walker and John Constable's reproduced sketches.
Prices for the books online vary from £5.99 to £400 for the signed first edition of Rawle's Woman’s World, providing an opportunity for fans and collectors to own a piece of Briggs's creative legacy.