SALEM, Mass. — Officials at a museum in Salem, Mass., they weren’t able to get their hands on a psalm book once owned by a judge in the city’s famed witch trials.
The Salem News reports the previously unknown seventh edition of “The Bay Psalm Book” that once belonged to Jonathan Corwin had been expected to sell for $30,000 to $40,000 on Wednesday.
MORE: Book with connection to Salem witch trials being auctioned
Instead, the book sold for $180,000. Salem Witch Museum owner Biff Michaud says he was among the bidders for the 17th century book, but couldn’t put in for more than $40,000.
It’s unclear who won the bidding.
Corwin was a judge during the 1692 trials, when 19 accused witches were hanged and another was crushed to death. Corwin’s home, now owned by the city of Salem, is known as the Witch House.
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