Lemon believed to be 285 years old fetches £1,416 at UK auction

Lemon unexpectedly discovered in back of drawer of 19th-century cabinet

The 285-year-old lemon was inscribed with words ‘‘Given by Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter (brettellsauctions / Instagram)

A 285-year-old lemon, found in an antique cabinet, was auctioned for £1,416 in the UK.

According to Brettells Auctions in Shropshire, the lemon was unexpectedly found inside a 19th-century cabinet which was being photographed for sale.

The cabinet was brought in by a family claiming it belonged to a deceased uncle.

The lemon was inscribed with these words: “Given By Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter.”

The auction house decided to sell the 285-year-old lemon.

“We thought we’d have a bit of fun and put it (lemon) in the auction with an estimate of £40-£60,” said auctioneer David Brettell.

They were up for a pleasant surprise when it fetched £1,416 at an auction.

On the other hand, the 19th-century cabinet sold for about £32.

According to the Sun, the cabinet is thought to have been brought back to England from colonial India as a romantic gift.

There are several examples in history of ordinary items fetching exorbitant prices in an auction. For example, in 2000, an eBay auction featured a piece of Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten French toast at a New York radio station, fetching over £785.

Another woman sold a piece of bubble gum that Britney Spears had chewed and spat out at a concert at Wembley Arena in 2000. The winning bid was about £10,000.