A CAREFULLY tended set of 168 adult magazines has been sold in Swindon for less than half the expected price.

Dominic Winter Book Auctions had thought the 14-year run of Penthouse might sell for up to £400, but it went for only £145, plus £17 in commission.

The winning bidder was not present at the Maxwell Street auction rooms the unnamed man bid by telephone.

The set of magazines dated from 1965's first issue to 1980, and were sold by a private collector from Cirencester.

Auctioneer and valuer Nathan Winter said before the sale: "It's unusual to get such a complete run, and they are in excellent condition.

"This will be of interest from a vintage angle.

"The earlier men's magazines were, of course, a lot tamer, and then the publication laws were relaxed in the 60s."

Penthouse was founded by an American, Bob Guccione, who wanted to beat Hugh Hefner's already well-established Playboy at its own game by showing full-frontal nudity.

However, many of the photographs in the early issues are no more explicit than those to be found in today's downmarket tabloids.

Over the years Guccione's company has had a gross income of more than £2 billion, but as recently as April his firm was widely reported as being about £30 million in debt.

The set of magazines sold in Swindon also featured written pieces by authors such as William S Burroughs, Kingsley Amis, Colin Wilson, JG Ballard and beat writers Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso.

Mr Winter insisted that their inclusion was of genuine interest to prospective purchasers, and pointed out that other writers had also had work included in magazines containing pictures of scantily-clad girls.