EDINBURGH, Scotland, April 1 (UPI) -- Rare editions of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy have brought almost $4,000 at a private book collection auction in Scotland.
The books, two signed second editions and an unsigned first, sold Wednesday to an anonymous buyer at the Edinburgh auction that included 3,000 rare books and raised more than $275,000, BBC reported Thursday.
A collection of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, with engravings by Eric Gill, received the highest bid of $7,800, with a 23-volume set of Charles Dickens novels bringing $7,600.
The extensive collection had belonged to William Adams, an accountant who died last June at age 84.
Adams' niece, Rona Hendry, said the family did not know the extent of her uncle's collection.
"We knew he loved his books," said Hendry, 52. "He collected them as long as everyone can remember, but when we saw them all, we couldn't believe they all got into his house."
About a fifth of the books remain and will be auctioned in August.
