A poem by Jane Eyre author Charlotte Bronte has sold at auction for a world record price.
The work fetched a staggering £92,450 – the highest figure ever paid for a poem by the Haworth literary sister and more than double the pre-sale estimate.
The 16-line poem, in Charlotte’s own handwriting, went under the hammer at Bonhams in London yesterday afternoon. It was bought by an anonymous overseas bidder.
The figure puts the value of the poem at more than £1,000 per word – among the highest prices for any prose by a native of Yorkshire.
A Bonhams spokesman said: “Poetical manuscripts by Charlotte Bronte are extremely rare.
“Only two others have been sold at auction in 40 years or more, and this may be the last poem by her in private hands.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article