First edition of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit sells for more than £43,000

A first edition of celebrated children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter has sold for £43,400.

The book had been estimated to fetch up to £35,000 when it went under the hammer in London yesterday.

Featuring 41 full-page line drawings, it was printed privately by Potter in 1901 after several children’s book publishers turned her down.

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit became a hit with friends and family, and a publisher decided to release the book.

The special auction, which marked the 150th anniversary of the author’s birth, raised almost £100,000.

Among the 50 lots sold was an original watercolour design for The Story Of Miss Moppet.

Created in 1906, the drawing of the mouse, which is autographed by Potter and includes her notes, raised £16,120.

Many of the items come from the John Cawood Collection, amassed by the collector since 1972.

The Dreweatts & Bloomsbury auction raised a total of £99,968.80.

Picture: PA. The first edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit was printed in 1901.