The Snowman author's book collection goes on sale

More than 1,000 books from the personal library of Raymond Briggs, creator of The Snowman, have gone on sale at a charity shop in East Sussex.

The collection, which was donated by the author and illustrator's estate after his death in 2022, is being sold at the Oxfam bookshop in Hove.

It includes cartoon annuals, illustration reference books and a first edition signed by author Graham Rawle.

Martin Hill, a volunteer who has been cataloguing the books, said: "This collection offers a wonderful glimpse of the visual and intellectual world of one of Britain's most distinctive illustrators."

Briggs, who lived near Westmeston in East Sussex, is most famous for creating the classic children's story The Snowman in 1978.

It was turned into a Bafta award-winning animated TV film four years later.

He is also known for illustrating Fungus the Bogeyman, When the Wind Blows and Ethel & Ernest among many others.

His books have sold over 8.5m copies worldwide in 24 languages.

Briggs' personal book collection spans illustration, cartoons, comics and social history with works by Aubrey Beardsley, E. H. Shepard, Charles Schulz, Edward Gorey and Posy Simmonds among the shelves.

Hill said: "What's fascinating is the range. You begin to see connections between the books Raymond Briggs created and the books and artists he chose to have around him.

"There are great illustrators and cartoonists, but then you find books about ageing, bathrooms and domestic life."

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