A rare Bible, the first written in Chinese, has fetched an astonishing £56,280 (approximately $115,000) at auction after being donated to an Oxfam charity shop in Chelmsford, approximately 70 kilometres north-east of London. The book, which was produced between 1815 and 1822, was initially expected to sell for around £800, a figure that left the charity staff "absolutely speechless" when bidding dramatically escalated.
Oxfam shop manager Nick Reeves expressed his shock at the final sale price, saying, "We were sat watching the bidding and just seeing it go up and up. When it finally ended, I was in complete shock. It’s amazing to think that a donation from our shop could help raise that much money for Oxfam. It’s just wonderful."
The Bible was translated by John Lassar and Joshua Marshman and was among 24 books auctioned off, collectively raising over £105,000 for Oxfam’s efforts to combat global poverty and inequality. Included in the auction were significant literary works like a first edition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which sold for £16,640, and the initial English translation of Karl Marx’s Manifesto of the Communist Party, going for £7,040.
Lorenza Gay, a specialist in books and manuscripts at Bonhams, highlighted the rarity of the Bible, noting that it was an item they could not find at previous auctions. "We hoped it would exceed the estimate, but it definitely surprised us with the final price achieved," she said, adding that the outcome is beneficial for Oxfam’s vital work globally.
Overall, this remarkable sale demonstrates the potential value of rare books and the impact of donations toward charitable causes.