A chance to bid for your Madiba keepsake
MORE THAN 200 lots of Nelson Mandela memorabilia will go under the hammer the day before what would have been the former president’s 96th birthday.
The first auction of a Mandela-related collection since his death in December will provide an opportunity to gauge public sentiment against an estimated collection value of as much as R4.7-million.
Auctioneers Stephan Welz & Co will host the auction on Thursday and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Liliesleaf Trust and Thembekile Mandela Foundation.
Before Mandela’s death, col- lections of memorabilia were already hot tickets. South African film producer Anant Singh bought a collection in 2013 for R1.1-million.
This year’s auction features highlights such as Hand Studies, which the auction house’s Mandela memorabilia specialist, Savo Tufegdzic, called “a rare original study of Mandela’s left and right hands”. Unlike the already well-known Hand of Africa, the work to be auctioned has not been reproduced before and is the only one of its kind.
Hand Studies was initiated by Ndileka Mandela, Madiba’s
A rare original study of Mandela’s left and right hands is on sale
granddaughter, who inked his hands herself. The sheet was turned so there is one handprint on either side and the second imprint was made without inking his hands again.
Hand Studies was also signed by Mandela and is valued at between R200 000 and R300 000.
Other auction items include signed photographs of the last time Mandela visited a polling station and of the former president with Michael Jackson, as well as autographed items and a variety of collectibles such as coins that were issued in celebration of his life and achievements.
The auction will also feature a 2010 World Cup ball signed by Mandela and a sculpture of him holding the trophy, and there is a Bafana soccer jersey signed by Mandela and Lucas Radebe.
Memorabilia will also go under the hammer at the National Antiques & Decorative Arts Faire at the Sandton Convention Centre from July 25 to 27.
Highlights of the fair will include a framed Brazil jersey signed by the players of this year’s World Cup, a framed 2014 Dutch shirt, a 1996 flat-back Bell helmet signed by Michael Schumacher, boxing gloves signed by some of the sport’s biggest names, a signed Lionel Messi golden boot and a framed and signed Ronaldo soccer shirt.
An album autographed by members of U2 with special inscriptions and a Bob Dylan guitar will be also be up for grabs.