Book Signed By Sir Winston Churchill Sold For £2,000

A rare book written and signed by Sir Winston Churchill has sold for £2,000 – after it was found in a second-hand shop.

The copy of 'The World Crisis' contains Churchill's signature and a personal note to the doctor who had treated his daughter, Mary.

The dedication was dated May 26, 1942 - the same day as the Anglo-Soviet Treaty was signed in London, and the opening day of the Battle of Gazala in Libya.

The rare edition, found in a bookshop which prices most of its titles at around £1, has been auctioned off by Dominic Winter Auction House for £2,000.

Janey Thornton, of Bookbarn International in Hallatrow, said:

"We were astonished to find the abridged copy of 'The World in Crisis' had been signed by its author.

"It also contained a typed note from his Personal Private Secretary thanking Wolverhampton-based doctor Sidney Dyke for his services.

"We frequently find all sorts of old papers, notes and even somebody’s wage packet stuck in the middle of our books.

"But we knew the signed copy of the World Crisis was a once in a lifetime find."

She added: "We passed it on to the Dominic Winter Auction House who valued the book at £1,500.

"We were thrilled to hear that the book made £2,000 at their auction on December 13."

The book had been taken to Bookbarn International, housed in a former MoD store, after ending up in another local secondhand bookshop.

Janey added: "It's really quite extraordinary when you think about it.

"Despite punishing global trials and tribulations, Churchill apparently found time to sign this book and dedicate a personal note to the Doctor who had treated his daughter.

"These books reflect the society in which they were published in a way many other objects simply aren’t capable of doing.

"This is why Bookbarn is such a tapestry of hidden pleasures and delights. You never know what you might find here."