A romantic man who splurged £20,800 on a historic brooch which is believed to have once belonged to a medieval noblewoman, said he bought the jewellery to give to his wife on their upcoming anniversary.
The unique 15th century sweetheart gold brooch, went under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on Wednesday, August 23 and was snapped up by an anonymous man who said he will gift it to his wife for their special milestone.
Steeped in romance, the brooch commanded worldwide attention after it was found on land near Kirby Muxloe Castle, in Leicestershire, by a metal detectorist in 2016.
It is thought to be a gift of love from William Hastings, the 1st Baron Hastings, to his wife Katherine Neville, who he married in 1462. Baron Hastings built the castle and was one of the most powerful and wealthy men in England until he was beheaded by Richard III for alleged treason.
The exquisite decorative piece, engraved with the medieval French inscription "honor et ioie" which translates as "honour and joy", is said to be "the stuff of dreams" by historians due to its rarity and it surpassed the guide price of between £6,000 to £8,000 to sell for a whopping £20,800.
There was so much interest in the jewel that seven phone lines were booked by bidders from around the world, including Europe and America, and a team of Hansons staff converged on the sale room to man the phones.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, which is based in Etwall, said: "We often have several phone bidders but rarely this many. The price just kept rising and rising and it was clear that our successful bidder was going to secure the brooch come what may.
"I am delighted the romance of the story is set to continue with the brooch again becoming a gift of love. In the 15th century, this level of craftsmanship and quality would have only been available to the very richest and most powerful people in the land.
"And gold itself could only have been acquired by the very top percentage of people, those with enormous wealth and importance. Baron Hastings was one such man. The woman who receives this gift will own something supremely special."
