Bond book makes £1,800 for Helen and Douglas House

The early book by James Bond writer Ian Flemming sold for £1,800

An early edition of the James Bond novel Casino Royale has become the most expensive single item ever sold by a Helen and Douglas House charity shop.

The shop in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, was given the book by a donor from London along with a porcelain collection and other items.

Staff had it assessed by specialists who told them it was a valuable second impression of a first edition.

It was then quickly bought by a local book dealer for £1,800.

'Wonderful'

The store manger, Angie Gaydon, said: "We are very excited and so pleased that we were able to spot it.

"We have a wonderful team here that are all very good at knowing what is worth investigating."

Peter Combellack from Kellow Books in Chipping Norton was the man who bought the book.

He said: "I knew straight away what it was.

"A second impression is still quite a rare copy of the book because the James Bond series didn't really take off until the third book."

Had it been a first edition Mr Combellack said it could have been worth £20,000 or more.