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Biggles book sells for three-times estimate

News imagePA A rare first edition of The Camels Are Coming, the first book to feature Captain James BigglesworthPA
A rare first edition of The Camels Are Coming, the first book to feature Captain James Bigglesworth, nicknamed Biggles, of the Royal Flying Corps, by author William Earle Johns, was auctioned

A rare first edition of the first book featuring World War One pilot Biggles has been sold at auction for three times its pre-sale estimate.

The Camels Are Coming by William Earl Johns was the first book to feature Captain James Bigglesworth of the Royal Flying Corps.

It went under the hammer at Keys Fine Art Auctioneers in Aylsham, Norfolk.

It was sold to a telephone bidder for £1,800. Its pre-sale estimate was £500 to £600.

The book contains 17 short stories featuring Biggles and his loyal sidekicks Algy, Ginger and Smyth.

News imagePA A rare first edition of The Camels Are Coming, the first book to feature Captain James BigglesworthPA
The book was published in 1932, and was the first of almost 100 books written by author William Earl Johns, a pilot who usually wrote under the pen name WE Johns

It was published in 1932, and was the first of almost 100 books written by the author, a pilot who usually wrote under the pen name WE Johns.

His Biggles tales were wildly popular in their time, and there are still many enthusiasts.