A FIRST edition copy of The Hobbit given to the Worcestershire aunt of J R R Tolkien has been sold for a world record £43,020 at auction.
The book, containing the inscription "Aunt Jane from JRRT with love October 6th, 1937" was sold within three minutes by the author's family at Sotheby's in London yesterday.
The buyer was a London book dealer.
Within a fortnight of its publication the author, whose work is capturing a new audience thanks to the film adaptation of Lord of the Rings, signed the book for his aunt, who lived at Dormston, near Inkberrow.
Sotheby's catalogue described the copy as "an exceptional association copy of this classic fantasy work".
Previously, a copy of the book was sold by the same auction house in December 2001 for £27,850, which was the world record for a copy of The Hobbit in its dustjacket.
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