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An incredibly rare copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland could become the world’s most expensive children’s book if it sells for the expected £2million at auction.

The book is one of only 50 copies of a first print run that author Lewis Carroll rejected because the pictures were not perfect.

None of the books ever went on sale and only 22 are known to have survived.

Of these 22 original copies, just six are in the hands of private collectors. The rest are in libraries or on display at museums.

Despite being 150 years old, the book is in remarkable condition and still has its original binding, binder’s ticket and title page.

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It is one of just 10 surviving copies still in its original red cloth.

If it sells for the expected price of £2million it would set a new record for 19th century literature and for a children’s book.

Read more:Luxury home said to have inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland on sale for £3.65m﻿

Charles Dodgson, who used the alias Lewis Carroll, released the children’s favourite in 1865.

The book has never been out of print and has been translated into 174 languages.

The copy to be sold at auction was given to George William Kitchin, a colleague of Carroll’s at Oxford and secretary of the School Book Committee for the University Press.

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It later changed hands a few times before being picked up by its current owner, Carroll expert Jon Lindseth, in 1997.

Mr Lindseth is a bibliographer, book collector and published scholar of Lewis Carroll.

Now in his 80s, Mr Lindseth is giving much of his collection of Carroll memorabilia to the British Library, but as it already has an 1865 copy he decided to put his up for auction.

Francis Wahlgren from Christie’s said: “This is a true first edition. It’s one of the greatest and most rare books, there are only 22 copies that survive and of those all but six are in public institutions. Seeing any 1865 Alice is a very special thing.

“It’s such a well-known book, an international phenomenon, which makes it even more significant. It’s quoted all the time and is a story that captivates everybody.

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“Lewis Carroll was very meticulous in every aspect of his life. When it came to the illustration and the publication of the book it had to be done exactly to his specification.

“But when it was being printed he noticed the illustrations were coming out uneven - some printed a little lighter, darker in some area.

“He rejected the entire production, so because of that it became a real status symbol.

“This is the cornerstone of any collector of literature, but if you’re a Carroll collector specifically this is the one you need to have if you want to be noted as a serious collector.

“If it achieves its estimate it would be a record for any 19th century work and a record for a children’s book.”

The book will be on view at Christie’s London from May 21 to 25 as part of a preview tour before it is sold in New York on June 16.