By GB News (World News) | Created at 2025-03-29 21:05:58 | Updated at 2025-04-04 22:13:11
6 days ago
Charity shop workers at an Oxfam bookshop in Chelmsford were left "absolutely speechless" after a rare Chinese Bible sold for £56,280 at auction.
The valuable text was discovered by volunteers in a pile of donations.
Initially valued at between £600 and £800, the Bible's final price stunned staff who watched the bidding climb to an unexpected sum.
The sale took place at Bonhams auction house after two weeks of competitive bidding.
Oxfam in Chelmsford
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The Chinese Bible fetched £56,280 at auction
Bonhams
Nick Reeves, Oxfam Chelmsford's bookshop manager, described the moment of discovery: "The Bible was originally found in a pile of donations by some of our brilliant volunteers, Chris Tyrrell and Eleanor Atac, who suspected it could be worth something."
"When it was put up for auction, it was originally valued at a few hundred pounds, so we never imagined it might go for this much," he added.
"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."
"It's amazing to think that a donation from our shop could help raise that much money Oxfam. It's just wonderful."
An excerpt from the Chinese Bible. It is believed to be the first complete Bible written in Chinese
Bonhams
The Bible was among 24 books which went under the hammer at Bonhams' between March 10 and 20, raising more than £105,000 for the charity.
Other valuable finds from Oxfam shops across the country were also auctioned.
A first edition of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" sold for £16,640.
Meanwhile, a first edition of Karl Marx's "Manifesto of the Communist Party" fetched £10,880.
The collection of books represented an extraordinary windfall for Oxfam's charitable work.
Ian Falkingham, Oxfam's Donated Goods Strategy Lead, said: "We are absolutely blown away by the sales at Bonhams' auction today."
"The money raised from these books will go towards helping tackle poverty and inequality across the globe, at a time when it is needed most."
Dr Lorenza Gay from Bonhams added: "We hoped it would exceed the estimate, but it definitely surprised us with the final price achieved."
"This remarkable outcome is great news for the important work Oxfam does around the world."
