Dickens' Great Expectations first edition up 5% pa

A first edition of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations has beaten its estimate at Sotheby's.

The 1861 three-volume tome - the 13th Dickens novel - sold for $137,500 at the auctioneer's Fine Books and Manuscripts, including Americana sale in New York on June 19.

Great Expectations First Edition
Just 1,000 first editions were produced

In doing so it increased in value by 5% per annum on its $97,000 auction at Christie's in April 2008.

Its strong price is testament to the ever-increasing draw of the Dickens name, the fact it's one of his most famous works, and the rarity of Great Expectations first editions - just 1,000 were produced.

The auction record for a Dickens first edition remains $290,500, set by a signed pre-publication presentation copy of A Christmas Carol.

View the striking Charles Dickens autographed document we have for sale.

Eight pages from a first edition of the Gutenberg Bible headlined the auction - selling for $970,000.

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