OXFAM had its biggest windfall at auction, after a book donated to a charity shop sold for £37,200.
The book, A Trip To The Highlands of Viti Levu, was one of a selection of rare books taken to the Oxfam branch in Teignmouth, Devon, by an anonymous retired man late last year.
The 1882 photo documentary tells of Royal Society of London scientist Gerard Ansdell and his brother’s 1881 search for their long-lost brother, who was thought to be coffee planting in Fiji.
He was eventually tracked down on the island of Viti Levu and the brothers documented their trip in the book, including 44 portraits of Fijians.
Only a few copies of the self-published book were ever made and only one has ever appeared at auction before, selling for 190 Australian dollars (£114) in 1977.
This copy was sold by Bonhams in London for £37,200, including buyer’s premium, on Tuesday, the highest price ever paid at auction for an item donated to the charity.
Oxfam said the sum was 23,000 times more than the £1.60 average selling price for a book in an Oxfam shop and would be enough to buy 1,500 goats, feed 5,300 families or provide safe water for 41,000 people.
Suzy Alder, books project manager at Oxfam, said: “Book sales have been helping us in our fight against poverty for more than 50 years, as we’ve sold everything from the first ever Sherlock Holmes story to the latest Harry Potter novel, and this incredible book will make a significant contribution to changing lives around the world.” She said the book was “an unprecedented discovery” and added: “This amazing result reflects the ongoing commitment made by our fantastic shop staff, volunteers and support teams nationwide to ensure that we make the most of every donation that comes in.
“We greatly appreciate the donations made to our shops daily across the country, and, in this case, the generosity of someone whose single item has raised enough money to help tens of thousands of people living in poverty.”
Bonhams spokesman Andrew Currie said: “This is a scarce and important book in excellent condition, and we’re really pleased that it proved so popular with bidders and that Oxfam has been able to raise so much money for its work.”
Oxfam is the third-biggest book retailer in the UK and raises about £1.6m through book sales each month.
