A first edition of world-famous 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 on Thursday.

A first edition of Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit
A first edition of Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Lauren Hurley/PA)

Featuring 41 full-page line drawings, it was printed privately by Beatrix 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.

The Story of Miss Moppet book
The Story of Miss Moppet (Lauren Hurley/PA)

Created in 1906, the drawing of the mouse, which is autographed by Beatrix 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.