Sale of items connected to Margaret Thatcher nets controversy and a total price of £4.5 million
The auctions of 418 items owned and given to Margaret Thatcher concluded on Wednesday and resulted in a total sale price of £4.5 million ($6.8 million, €6.1 million). It also brought with it controversy as many of the items were supposedly never actually in her personal possession whilst, equally, her son is said to have opposed the sale.
Orchestrated at the instructions of the late Lady Thatcher’s daughter, Carol, the auction’s best performer was a model of an American eagle given to the politician by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. It fetched £266,500 against a guide of just £5,000 to £8,000 whilst the Iron Lady’s dispatch box went for an astonishing £242,500 on a guide of £3,000 to £5,000.
Two stories to keep beside you
Margaret Thatcher: Strong lady, weak men
Author Sarah Tucker shares her thoughts on the reaction to the death of Margaret Thatcher I can’t really remember much about when Maggie Thatcher was in power. I know my parents were full of praise for her because our country was almost third world when she became PM, strikes crippling industries, rubbish being left […]
Double standards on death
The reactions to both ‘The Interview’ and ‘The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher’ should be compared
Of the auction, Adrian Hume-Sayer of Christie’s commented:
“The market’s response to these historic sales, both the online-only sale and the traditional auction, was remarkable, with the overall result for the Mrs Thatcher collection far exceeding pre-sale expectations. Clients from all over the world seized this once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire items which gave insights into both the public and private life of Britain’s first female Prime Minister, who was a political giant on the world stage. These sales continue Christie’s long tradition of offering notable private collections, taking place over 200 years after James Christie, founder of Christie’s, negotiated the landmark sale of the magnificent art collection of Great Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole to Catherine the Great in 1779”.
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:[contact-form-7 id=”225″ title=”Contact form 1″]
Readers have their say
3 comments
I spent a very amusing afternoon in Havana with Carol Thatcher a few years ago, she was writing an article on the bars of Cuba for the Daily Mail.Needless to say we tested the quality of the gin and tonics at every single bar and hotel we passed. She proved very good company and had a great sense of humour.
We laughed about the the well held belief that one of my ancestors, Sir Harry Cust of Belton House, was supposedly Margarets real grandfather which would have made us cousins of sorts.We then went on a tour of the Havana cigar factory during which the tour guide continuously warned the tour group about the dangers of buying bootleg cigars. At the end of the tour he then took Carol and myself to one side and offered to supply us with as many half price bootleg cigars as we wanted which we thought was very amusing. The following day Carol set off to cycle across Cuba on a bicycle for charity. Rather her than me I thought as I nursed a massive hangover.
A disgusting thing to do to one’s mother!!!!! Shame on Carol and Mark (he gets some of the cash too)!!!!!!!!!
Rod
Why don’t you take four steps back and take a running jump at yourself