Nelson & His World

I came across a sale on ebay earlier this evening of a locket containing a few strands of Nelson's hair. The locket was in a small bronze effect casket with a glass top. The locket itself was not hallmarked but had 'Nelsons hair' engraved on the back. There was no real provenance to it, the seller stated he bought it from a dealer who said it was from a family who's relative was at Trafalgar and cut it prior to Nelsons body being placed in the brandy barrel. The families name had been forgotten as the dealer had had it for 30 years. It was sold on ebay at the original starting price of £400.

Has anyone come across a similar item?

Phil

I think you'll find a lot of scepticism on this site about Nelson relics that don't have a cast-iron provenance. His heroic status was so great in the years after his death that all manner of items, including locks of hair, claiming to be authentic, were offered for sale. Known enthusiasts were targeted by unscrupulous dealers. Lady Llangattock, whose collection of memorabilia now forms part of the Nelson Museum in Monmouth, received dozens of letters offering Nelson relics for sale, many of them with little provenance.

One of the letters in the museum at Monmouth is from Horatia Nelson saying that she is enclosing a lock of Nelson's hair for the recipient. The lock of hair is not there, which is a pity, as it is the sort of cast-iron provenance that a true collector will regard as essential.

One item without provenance that nevertheless made a good price is this one:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... 0-000.html

Anna

Thank you very much for replying and sending the Daily Mail attachment. I hadn't come across this story before. It was certainly an amazing sum to bid for a previously unknown item like this.

Phil