Obscure necklace valued at £15 sells for £99,000 at auction

A distinctive necklace fashioned from human hair and whale bone came within moments of being sold for just £15 at a car boot sale before an astute expert intervened to reveal its substantial worth.

The piece was examined by specialists at Ewbank's auction house, who identified its historical and material significance. Their assessment proved accurate when the necklace subsequently sold at auction for £99,000, a figure that would have shocked the original seller had the transaction proceeded at the boot sale price.

The discovery highlights the importance of professional appraisals in identifying valuable items that often languish in clearance sales and second-hand markets. Many collectors and dealers attend such venues specifically to spot overlooked treasures, though expertise is essential to differentiate genuine valuables from contemporary reproductions.

Items incorporating human hair were particularly popular during the Victorian era, often serving as sentimental keepsakes or mourning jewelry. When combined with rare materials such as whale bone, such pieces can command significant sums among specialist collectors and museums.