In an unexpected turn of events, a Chinese Bible discovered among donations at an Oxfam store in Essex fetched an astonishing £56,280 at auction. This rare edition, initially valued between £600 and £800, exceeded all expectations after a two-week bidding war.
Translated by John Lassar and Joshua Marsham, this Bible represents the first complete Chinese version, serialized from 1815 to 1822, beginning with the Pentateuch. Its discovery by Oxfam Chelmsford volunteers highlighted its historical significance and potential value.
Nick Reeves, the bookshop manager at Oxfam Chelmsford, expressed his amazement at the outcome: “We never imagined it might go for this much. We were sat watching the bidding and just seeing it go up and up. When it finally ended, I was in complete shock. We were absolutely speechless.”
The auction, conducted by Bonhams, included other rare literary treasures from various Oxfam locations, raising a total of £105,000. Notably, more than half of this amount stemmed from the sale of the Chinese Bible.
Another highlight was a first edition of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” which sold for £16,640. Additionally, a Dickens autograph with a quote from the same novel fetched £12,160, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the famed author.
Other significant sales included the first English translation of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, which garnered £7,040, and a first edition of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” sold for £2,560. A copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Return of the King” first edition also found a buyer for £2,048.
While these sums are impressive, they pale compared to the Codex Leicester, a da Vinci manuscript purchased by Bill Gates in 1994 for $30.8 million. Adjusted for inflation, this acquisition would cost around $63.3 million today, according to Sotheby’s.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
