Washington’s book auctioned for £6.4m

A book once owned by George Washington, containing his annotated copy of the US constitution, has sold for nearly $10 million (£6.4m) at a New York auction.

A spokesman for Christie’s auction house said the price sets a world record for a historical document. The bidder was a representative of the non-profit educational organisation that operates the museum at Washington’s Virginia home.

The 223-year-old book also contains a copy of the bill of rights. Washington added brackets and notes that highlighted key passages about the responsibility of the president.