A dried out 285-year-old lemon has sold for a staggering £1,400 (approx. $1769) after sparking an unlikely bidding war.
The ancient citrus fruit was discovered in the bottom drawer of a 19th century chest salvaged during a house clearance. The vendors were sorting through their uncle's possessions and thought the cabinet may be valuable so they took it to an auctioneer.The specialist found the decaying lemon in the back of the drawer while photographing the cabinet for the upcoming sale. They were taken aback by an inscription that had been carved into the yellow zest dating it to 1739.
It states that the citrus was 'given by Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter'.
Since it was so unusual, they stuck it into the auction for a bit of fun with an estimate of £40-60. "The bidding started at £40 but suddenly it ramped up to £340, then £440 and higher. "By the time we got to £700, there were two bidders battling it out with a British collector winning out.
"There was a round of applause when the hammer went down at £1,100, with auctioneers fees taking the final figure paid to £1,416 at auctioneers Brettells, of Newport, Shropshire.
The auctioneer said you are never going to see an object like this at auction again. It is completely unique.
"One dealer joked to me afterwards that he was going to buy some lemons and go home and stick them in the oven!"
Interestingly, the cabinet the lemon was found in went for a hammer price of £32 - so the lemon made 50 times that sum.
It states that the citrus was 'given by Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter'.
Since it was so unusual, they stuck it into the auction for a bit of fun with an estimate of £40-60. "The bidding started at £40 but suddenly it ramped up to £340, then £440 and higher. "By the time we got to £700, there were two bidders battling it out with a British collector winning out.
"There was a round of applause when the hammer went down at £1,100, with auctioneers fees taking the final figure paid to £1,416 at auctioneers Brettells, of Newport, Shropshire.
The auctioneer said you are never going to see an object like this at auction again. It is completely unique.
"One dealer joked to me afterwards that he was going to buy some lemons and go home and stick them in the oven!"
Interestingly, the cabinet the lemon was found in went for a hammer price of £32 - so the lemon made 50 times that sum.
Words from story here
~ xxx ooo xxx ~
For those readers who may prefer to eat lemons, how about this recipe
Lemon Cream Fool Dessert
more details here
Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.
All the best Jan
28 comments:
Sem dúvida a sobremesa de limão me atrai muito mais,rs...
beijos, ótimo fds! chica
Google Translate:
Chica said ...
Without a doubt, the lemon dessert attracts me much more, lol...
Kisses, great fds!
Why would anyone want to purchase a moldy lemon for any price? 😺
So interesting about that lemon
...that's hard to believe.
Jan, carving lemon peel is a choreEasy, you just need a knife with a good edge but, how do we make it last? Maybe look for a very dry place, without humidity.
That is crazy! The dessert looks good though.
That was incredible!!!!!!!!!!!
Crazy!!
Wow what an amazing story.
I haven't had curd of any type for a while.
I don't think this lemon is that special. I'm surprised it survived that long; it must be really dry. Thanks for a good lemon recipe too. Happy weekend.
That is an incredible story. Gosh... I haven't had a lemon meringue pie in ages. You just made me think of it.
Good heavens Jan..
Surely this is just a dried old lemon! People are crazy
That is extraordinary. It's the novelty value, I suppose.
Fun fact to read about, lol
Lemons are easy to get lost in the back of the fridge. I toss a few petrified lemons every year.
Fun story! It's amazing that it didn't become moldy as my lemons (in the refrigerator) eventually do.
That is a strange story.
The lemon dessert looks yummy.
Have a happy weekend.
I probably have a lemon on the way to bringing a fortune. I just need to put it in a drawer to absorb moisture and avoid the mold.
Divertida historia. Me gusta el limón.
Buen Febrero y fin de semana para Todos.
Un abrazo.
¡Hola Lowcarb !
Te deseo un buen fin de semana, lleno de alegría y descanso. Que lo disfrutes mucho.
¡Un abrazo! Blues Hendrix 😊
It has a lot, a lot of merit, it's worth its price.
Best regards
The lemon dessert is looking delicious.
GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Laura M said...
Funny story. I like lemon.
Have a good February and a weekend for everyone.
A hug.
Hendrix said...
Hello Lowcarb!
I wish you a good weekend, full of joy and rest. Enjoy it a lot.
A hug
Oh wow that is quite the story, can't believe the chest only went for 32.
oh such a fun story about an old lemon
must say a unique story :)
best wishes for you and loved ones dear Jan!
¡Que interesante ! no conocía nada de esto. Besos.
Post a Comment