A rare first edition of J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' was sold for £43,000 at an online auction, significantly exceeding its expected price. Only a few hundred of the original 1,500 copies remain. The book was discovered during a house clearance in Bristol and is noted for its unique features, including black and white illustrations by Tolkien. The auction attracted global bidders, and the book was purchased by a UK private collector.