Animal Farm – George Orwell – 1946 | First Edition, 20th Century Satire

Animal Farm by George Orwell is one of the 20th century’s defining literary satires, reflecting on events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917. Orwell’s dystopian fable distills the brutality of Stalinist totalitarianism into a haunting allegory of barnyard rebellion, where animals overthrow their human master only to fall prey to a new tyranny imposed by their own kind. Blending subtle humor and stark allegory, Orwell’s work critiques political corruption, authoritarianism, and the dangers of socialist ideals. With its commentary on propaganda and abuse of power, Animal Farm has remained an influential text in political and historical discourse. Time Magazine has called it one of the 100 best English-language books, and according to Stringer, this book is “A political fable that partly recounts, in an allegorical mode, the aftermath of the Russian revolution, and partly illustrates a belief in the universal tendency of power to corrupt.”

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Animal Farm
• Author: George Orwell
• Publisher: New York, Harcourt, Brace and Company
• Edition: First Edition, 1946
• Binding: Black cloth, facsimile dust jacket
• Format: Octavo (8vo), single volume
• Size: ~ 7.75in x 5.25in (19.5cm x 13cm)
• Collation: [4], 118
• Contents Include:
  • Full text of the Animal Farm
• Provenance: Handwritten signature of [Renee Cheal] Febry. 12, 1947 on front flyleaf
• Reference(s): Stringer 22

Condition:

Very Good. Binding is tight and secure, with mild rubbing to edges and boards. Pages are clean with slight discoloration of the endpapers, and mild age-toning to the page edges throughout. The professionally-reproduced facsimile dust jacket in Excellent condition.

Why Collect This?

• First Edition of Orwell’s classic Animal Farm
• Orwell’s allegorical condemnation of Stalinist totalitarianism
• An essential acquisition for collectors of dystopian literature and political satire
• A key Cold War-era title by one of the 20th century’s most significant authors

Item Number: # 31208