2017 has been the year of the Oscars flub, covfefe, a total solar eclipse and the rise of Bitcoin. However, as is fitting for a year in which the world felt increasingly strange, some very peculiar items also went under the hammer, selling for some very hefty sums. From celebrity locks of hair to the world’s smallest bible, our experts have listed the 10 strangest objects sold at auction in 2017.
1. The Last da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci's 'Salvator Mundi' (Saviour of the World) was bought for an astonishing €382 million in New York in November, shattering the record for the most expensive artwork ever sold.
The painting was originally sold for just €50 in the 1950s when it was mistaken for a copy. It is now believed to be the last remaining da Vinci in private hands. It sold for a total amount of €381,881,541 following 19 minutes of bidding - despite lingering questions by some experts over its authenticity and condition.
2. The World’s Smallest Bible
Catawiki sold the world’s smallest legible and illustrated copy of the Bible, printed in 1727, for €2,400 this year. If small Bibles were a hot ticket item in 2017, Bibles owned by big names have been popular in the past. Mark Borgman, our press officer, said of the sale of rare Bibles: “Bibles that have been previously owned by deceased celebrities and iconic figures often fetch substantial prices at auction. Notable lots include a Bible belonging to Elvis Presley, which sold for €66,000 at auction in 2012, and a Bible belonging to Ronnie Kray, with chapters on judgment and damnation bookmarked, which went under the hammer in 2014.”
Image source: Catawiki
3. The Oldest Meteorite on Earth
A part of a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite sold at auction for nearly €16,000 at our Meteroites auction this year, becoming one of the oldest items ever sold. Found in the early 20th century, its looks are unassuming, however it is extremely rare. This is a large specimen, weighing in at 26.5 kg.
Image source: RT.com
4. A €31.9 Million Bowl
We wouldn’t recommend putting this one through the dishwasher! An extremely rare and ancient Chinese bowl sold for a record price of €32 million at auction. The 1000-year-old porcelain bowl from China’s Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) was created as a vessel in which to wash brushes. It sold to an anonymous phone bidder at an exclusive auction in Hong Kong.
Image source: Dailymail
5. Late Celebrity Hair
Earlier in the year, a lock of hair belonging to the King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis Presley sold for €1,300. The lock, which is in pristine condition, had been saved by Elvis’ personal barber, Homer Gill Gilleland, who toured with Elvis for more than 20 years.
Locks of hair belonging to each of the Beatles also sold for over €8,000 this year at Catawiki, as well as the hair of Marilyn Monroe and Napoleon. Mark Borgman says, ‘The market for late celebrity hair is very lucrative, as super fans believe that in owning their icon’s hair, they own a part of them forever.’
Image source: Catawiki
6. The Most Expensive Car Boot Sale Item Ever
A diamond ring bought at a car boot sale for just a tenner was sold for €737,176 at auction in London. The jewel was expected to fetch €393,000, but went for almost double that in April. The owner believed the 'exceptionally-sized' stone was a piece of costume jewellery when she bought it at West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth, west London, in the 1980s.
Image source: Business Insider
7. A Letter Written on the Titanic
The last known letter written on board by a passenger who perished when the Titanic sank – which contains the poignant prediction that “if all goes well we’ll arrive in New York on Wednesday” – has sold for a record-breaking €141,000 at auction. The handwritten note on three pages of embossed White Star Line stationery was written by Alexander Oskar Holverson, a first-class passenger, to his mother the day before the liner struck an iceberg.
Image source: The Guardian
8. A Bag of Moon Dust
A bag used by US astronaut Neil Armstrong to collect the first ever samples of the Moon sold at auction in New York for €1.5m. The outer decontamination bag from the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was bought by an anonymous bidder. The white bag still carries traces of Moon dust and small rocks.
9. A Solid Gold LEGO Brick
The most expensive LEGO brick in the world went up for auction this year and sold for €18,498 at our LEGO auction. One of only a handful of 14K solid gold 2x4 bricks ever made sparked a bidding frenzy when it was put up for sale.
Between 1979 and 1981, the extra special bricks were originally given to LEGO employees to celebrate their 25 years of employment at their main factory in Germany. What makes this commemorative brick even more special is that it can be used with all other LEGO sets. A lucky American won the auction, and is now the proud owner of the gold brick, which weighs 25.65 g, and is exactly the same size and shape as an original LEGO brick.
Image source: Catawiki
10. A Half-Million-Pound Bluefin Tuna
A bluefin tuna fetched €580,000 at the first auction of the year at Tsukiji market in Tokyo. The 212 kg fish, caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, was bought by Kiyomura, the operator of the Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain, after its president, Kiyoshi Kimura, outbid rivals for the sixth year in a row.
Kimura, whose bids have earned him the nickname 'tuna king', said the fish was 'a bit expensive, but I am happy that I was able to successfully win a tuna of good shape and size at auction'. Kimura added that he was looking forward to serving it at his restaurants. 'I want everyone to taste this delicious tuna,' he said as he posed with his prize bluefin.
Feeling inspired by our list of the strangest objects sold at auction in 2017? Do you want to go on a treasure hunt of your own? Then visit our weekly auctions to discover more strange objects. Or do you have something unique that you'd like to sell? Anyone can offer up their exceptional objects for auction at Catawiki. All you need is a free account to get started. So why not give it a try and maybe we'll include your object on next year's list.
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