Story Of A 285-Year Old Lemon With A Message That Was Sold For Rs 1.5 Lakh

Extraordinary and rare items often get sold for mind-bogglingly high prices at auctions. Every so often, you might hear about an exclusive jewelry owned by xyz Maharajah of yesteryear being sold for a ton of money.?

But, this time, Rs 1.5 lakh has been fetched in an auction for, believe it or not, a lemon.?

What is this lemon all about??

Around 2 inches wide and brown with age, the lemon in question is a?285-year-old fruit, found at the back of a 19th-century cabinet!?

What makes this lemon special is the engraving on it. Yes, this unique dried lemon came with a message engraved on it which suggests that it’s from 1739.?

The message inscribed on the fruit reads, "Given By Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter."?

A sour surprise?

The family that 'owns' the lemon were actually interested in selling the cabinet where the lemon was kept in.?

In fact, they brought the chest - which they say belonged to a deceased uncle - to the Brettells Auctioneers in Shropshire, UK to sell it.

Representative image/ Tripadvisor

It was only when a specialist was photographing the cabinet for sale that the lemon was discovered in the back of a drawer.?

The auction house opted to try selling the aged lemon, and officials were astonished when it secured a substantial bid of $1,780.?

?In contrast, the cabinet only fetched $40!?

Transcending the ordinary?

Auctions have always been a stage for the exchange of extraordinary artifacts, each carrying a unique tale and often fetching prices that seem to defy imagination.?

For instance, in 2015, the Blue Moon Diamond, a rare and flawless 12.03-carat blue diamond fetched a staggering $48.5 million.?

Blue Moon Diamond/ ABC

In 1994, Bill Gates acquired one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous scientific notebooks, the Codex Leicester, at an auction for a jaw-dropping $30.8 million. The notebook is filled with da Vinci's observations and sketches on various scientific phenomena.?

In 2018, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO became the most expensive car ever sold at auction, fetching a staggering $48.4 million.?

These extraordinary artifacts are a testament to the fascination and willingness of collectors to invest in pieces that transcend the ordinary.?

But, few would have thought a lemon to be in such a list of unique items auctioned!? ? ?

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit?Indiatimes News.? ? ??