Almost 300-Year-Old Lemon Makes Juicy Sale Of £1.4K At Auction

Image via Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers

A lemon aged at a ripe 285 years recently went under the hammer for a zesty £1,416 (US$1,777). This sale, hosted by Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers in Shropshire, England, has certainly added some tang to the rusty world of antiques.

The citrus was discovered tucked away in the back of a drawer within a 19th-century cabinet, a piece that had been brought in by a family clearing out a deceased uncle's belongings. The juicy find was made by a specialist at Brettells, who stumbled upon the lemon while preparing the cabinet for auction.

What makes this lemon even more intriguing is the inscription it carries—“given By Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter”—hinting it was gifted as a romantic gesture.

Image via Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers

Estimated to fetch a modest £40 to £60, the lemon ended up squeezing upwards of £1,000, while the cabinet in which it was found fetched a mere £32 (US$40).

It’s speculated that the lemon was brought back from colonial India as a symbol of affection. The fact that it has been preserved for so long, complete with its inscription, offers a fascinating glimpse into the sentimental values and practices of the past.

The lavish lemon now joins the ranks of other expensive fruits, like Maurizio Cattelan’s US$120,000 banana art.

[via UPI, The Independent, Boing Boing, images via Brettells Auctioneers & Valuers]