The first book ever printed in English in North America has taken the title for the most expensive book ever sold at an auction.
The collection of psalms is one of just 11 printed by Massachusetts Puritans from the 1600s. According to the New York Times, about 1,700 other known editions were published.
The Bay Psalm Book sold for a record-breaking $14,165,000 during an auction on Tuesday. David M. Rubenstein of Washington investment firm The Carlyle Group purchased the book by telephone bid from Australia, and said he intends to loan it to U.S. libraries to put on display. David N. Redden from Sotheby's told the Times that Rubenstein wanted to share the piece.
"His intention is not to take these kinds of objects home," he said.
Rubenstein has purchased a handful of historical pieces in the past - among them, the Magna Carta, which he picked up for $21 million. Today, that'd be about $23.7 million.
The Bay Psalm Book was first printed in 1640, 20 years after the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth. The first book was created by a printing press that was sent from England. According to the Times, the man overseeing the production was figuring out the method at the time, since some of the pages were assembled incorrectly.
Officials from Boston's Old South Church - where the copy had been housed for decades - were stunned at the price tag, which included Sotheby's premium.
"We couldn't be happier with the buyer, we couldn't be happier with the amount," Rev. Dr. Nancy S. Taylor told the Times. "This is amazing. A year ago, we were wondering if we could get $5 million for it. We didn't know."
The 10 other copies are currently being housed at the New York Public Library, one of which was sold at Sotheby's London location in 1855 for 19 shillings. Curator of rare books at the library Michael Inman said that would be about 1,900 pounds, around $3,075, today.
